How Alliance Defending Freedom Stands Up for Religious Rights and Free Speech

In a world where fundamental freedoms are being challenged, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a legal organization that stands for the rights of all Americans. While recognized mainly for its work in the Christian community, ADF defends people from all walks of life against those who would take away their fundamental freedoms. We’ll look at how the organization got its start and list some of its most famous cases to illustrate the staff’s mission. 

The Start of ADF 

Alliance Defending Freedom was founded in 1994 and quickly began making a difference. In Rosenberger v. University of Virginia (1995), the University of Virginia denied a student newspaper funding because of its Christian beliefs. 

This case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled that if the University of Virginia was going to promote speech of any kind, it would have to give all viewpoints an equal platform. This case highlights the fundamental beliefs of ADF — namely that all people should have the right to conduct themselves according to their beliefs. If support is available, such as university funding to campus organizations, they should have access to the support. All told, ADF has been involved in seventy-two wins at the Supreme Court since its founding, and since 2011, ADF has represented parties in 14 victories at the Supreme Court. 

Defending Business 

One of ADF’s Supreme Court wins was Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Burwell. After Obamacare stipulated that birth control be included in employee-funded health plans, ADF argued that because the law went against the owners’ religious beliefs, the owners should not be mandated to include the benefit in their plans. The Supreme Court ultimately agreed, and the ruling set a precedent for courts to preserve religious liberty. 

In addition, ADF represented Jack Phillips in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. In this case, Jack respectfully declined to use his artistic talents to create a custom cake for a same sex wedding, as this would force him to speak messages that violate his religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. ADF successfully argued that business owners like Jack have the right to act according to their religious beliefs. 

Defending Education 

Schools play a large role in shaping a student’s worldview, so understandably, parents want to exercise their rights about what’s being taught to them and how that material is presented. In Ibañez v. Albemarle County School Board parents from various backgrounds banded together to oppose how Critical Race Theory was shaping their children’s outlook on life and themselves. ADF represents the parents and the students because the policies violate the student’s civil rights by treating people differently based on race. 

Defending Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers 

In California, a law was passed that mandated pro-life pregnancy centers give information to clients about abortion services in their area. In the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra, Alliance Defending Freedom helped to get this law overturned by the Supreme Court so the staff at pro-life centers would be free to speak according to their religious beliefs.

Defending Children’s Rights 

In Missouri, churches were explicitly forbidden from receiving government reimbursement for resurfacing their playground. In Trinity Lutheran v. Comer, ADF brought the case to the Supreme Court, successfully arguing that a public benefit program available to everyone should not be denied to an entity because they are religious. 

Defending Free Speech 

ADF’s Center for Academic Freedom has successfully litigated hundreds of cases protecting students’ free speech rights on campuses nationwide. In Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski and 

Young Americans for Liberty at Kellogg Community College v. Kellogg Community College, Alliance Defending Freedom stood up for Chike Uzuegbunam and Michelle Gregoire. Both cases featured students who wanted to express their beliefs on campus but were unfairly punished for speaking up. In the former case, Uzuegbunam tried to tell other students about his Christian faith. In the latter case, Gregoire was admonished and eventually arrested for passing out tiny copies of the US Constitution on campus. Through ADF’s work, both students were vindicated.

ADF has been hard at work for years now, and they have a track record of an 80% win rate to show for it.  ADF continues to remain firm in its commitment to protecting religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, parental rights, and God’s design for marriage and family.
Learn more about Alliance Defending Freedom: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alliance-defending-freedom