Written by Don Byrd
Wednesday, 08 February 2012
The Baptist Joint Committee’s Brent Walker spoke out on the contraception coverage controversy today, calling for an expansion of the religious exemption.
From a BJC press release:
J. Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said the exemption for churches, while important, “is insufficient and should be broadened.”
“At the same time, the exemption need not deprive anyone of healthcare coverage,” Walker said. “The exemption could carry a duty of full disclosure by the employer as well as an obligation to help employees who want contraceptive coverage to get it elsewhere at a reasonable cost.”
Between Rev. Walker and Melissa Rogers, it’s nice to finally start hearing some voices of reason, interested in solutions not just an escalation of rhetoric and heat.
[UPDATE: The BJC isn’t alone in pushing for changes. Time’s Amy Sullivan notes that other religious organizations are now supportive of the idea of a broader accommodation for the coverage requirement, while still providing an affordable means for individuals to obtain such coverage, as Brent and Melissa have suggested. Could momentum be building?]
