Nashville, Tennessee – Liz and Gabe Rutan-Ram faced discrimination when a Christian state-funded foster care placement agency in Tennessee refused to work with them due to their religious beliefs. Despite their intention to foster a child and eventually adopt, they were turned away by the agency, which cited a requirement for prospective adoptive families to share their belief system. The Rutan-Rams, who are Jewish, found themselves excluded and distressed by the agency’s decision.
The couple took legal action against the Tennessee department of children’s services, arguing that a state law allowing private agencies to reject prospective parents based on religious grounds violates the state constitution’s equal protection and religious freedom clauses. This ongoing case highlights the complex intersection of religious beliefs and adoption practices in the state.
The issue faced by the Rutan-Rams is emblematic of a broader trend that could potentially increase under a hypothetical second Trump administration. Project 2025, a comprehensive policy blueprint developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation, advocates for the protection of “faith-based adoption agencies” to operate in alignment with their religious beliefs. This stance has raised concerns about potential discrimination against prospective parents who do not share the agencies’ beliefs.
Project 2025 proposes legislative changes to safeguard providers from discrimination in offering adoption and foster care services based on their beliefs about marriage. It also calls for the removal of regulations that restrict agencies from making placement decisions according to their religious convictions, presenting a contentious debate on the intersection of religious freedom and adoption practices.
Critics of Project 2025, such as Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, raise concerns about the exclusionary nature of the policy agenda, which rejects unmarried parents, single parents, and LGBTQ+ families. The proposed vision of family in Project 2025 has sparked intense debate around the definition of a family and the implications of prioritizing specific family structures in adoption and foster care systems.
The Rutan-Rams’ advocacy and legal challenge have become central to a campaign led by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, shedding light on the perceived Christian nationalist goals of Project 2025. The controversy surrounding this issue underscores the ongoing debate over the role of religion in shaping adoption policies and the broader implications for religious freedom and equality.
As the legal battle unfolds, experts like Amanda Tyler warn about the broader implications of Project 2025, highlighting concerns about the erosion of the separation between church and state and the potential impact on democracy. The intersection of religious beliefs, adoption practices, and government policies remains a contentious issue, with far-reaching implications for the future of family law and religious freedom in the United States.