May 2018 – On February 23, a federal judge ruled in favor of Wheaton College, ending a five-year legal battle. The judge stated the federal government would be violating civil rights laws by forcing the school to provide abortifacients in its health care plans.
In 2015, Wheaton terminated health care coverage for about a quarter of its 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Some students and alumni blamed the college, but the college’s administration contended the loss of health insurance was due entirely to the federal government’s repeated refusal to allow for a reasonable compromise.
“We are grateful to God that the court recognized Wheaton’s religious identity and protected our ability to affirm the sanctity of human life,” said Philip Ryken, Wheaton College president. “The government should never have tried to force us to provide drugs and services against our faith, and we are pleased by the resolution of our case.”
