Christian schools lawyer deems resolution can be reached following Supreme Court decision on contraceptive case

On Monday, the United States Supreme Court had remanded to the lower courts the complaint filed by religious non-profit organizations against the coverage of contraceptives for their employees, and this is taken by a lawyer as a positive step toward protecting religious freedom. 

The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as ObamaCare, requires that contraceptives be a part of the insurance coverage for employees, but this does not sit well with those whose beliefs go against the requirement. Christian schools are among those affected by this.

"The schools would have been stuck with a choice whether to follow their religion and pay enormous fines or compromise their faith and participate in acts that they believe are contributing to evil," lawyer Greg Baylor of the Alliance Defending Freedom said, as quoted by KTUL.

ADF represents four Christian universities in Oklahoma who joined other organizations when the complaint was filed in 2012.

"The court seems to agree that there is another way that this can be done, a way that does not involve the schools, does not involve them violating their religious convictions," he said. 

The highest court in the U.S. finds that a compromise can be reached between the two parties involved, wherein women can still be given birth control coverage without having to force religious groups to violate their faith.

Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor also said in her concurring opinion, according to an earlier report, that the lower courts can reconsider the argument of both sides "in light of petitioners' new articulation of their religious objection and the Government's clarification about what the existing regulations accomplish, how they might be amended, and what such an amendment would sacrifice."

Although the court's decision to remand the case is not exactly what the complainants expected -- and the court has not yet decided if it violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Ace -- Baylor deems it as a step toward protecting religious freedom.

"I'm certainly delighted by the prospect of reaching a resolution that doesn't violate the religious freedom of these school," said Baylor. "That's what we've been after all along."