Interfaith Alliance: Overturning of Roe v. Wade Was a “Disaster for Religious Freedom”

Interfaith Alliance, a national organization that advocates for inclusive democracy and healthy boundaries between religion and government, acknowledged the historic anniversary of the Supreme Court’s watershed Roe v. Wade decision by expressing the ways that overturning the decision has eroded religious freedom and civil rights.

In a statement, Darcy Hirsh, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Interfaith Alliance, said:

“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was an unequivocal disaster for religious freedom. The aggressive ruling stripped access to essential care for millions across the country and betrayed the constitutional promise of allowing people of all faiths and beliefs to make their personal decisions led by their own values.

“The fall of Roe is a clear example of how Christian nationalism has infiltrated American democracy, with a select few bent on imposing their extreme beliefs on everyone. Christian nationalist ideology is rooted neither in dignity or constitutionalism, but rather in arrogance and authoritarianism.

“The consequences of overturning Roe become clearer as women are criminally charged following miscarriages, courts and politicians interject themselves into medical crises, and extremists continue efforts to eliminate or severely restrict access to necessary healthcare with dozens of states banning abortions and federal policymakers voting on extreme anti-abortion legislation on Capitol Hill this week. In this country, people are promised the freedom to make decisions for their lives based on their own moral and religious compass.

“This election year, so much is at stake, including reproductive rights that are disappearing before our eyes. We are buoyed by the success of state abortion referendums in recent years and will continue to advocate for a resilient democracy that fulfills the promise of religious freedom for all, not just for some.”

Interfaith Alliance works to uphold reproductive health access and justice for all through advocacy in federal and state legislatures, and the courts. The organization has championed multiple federal bills, including the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), which would create a federal right to abortion.