In a legal dispute that has been going on for more than a decade, the fact that the Colorado Supreme Court has decided to hear the case involving Christian cake baker Jack Phillips is a significant move.
After Phillips, the proprietor of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, said no to making a bespoke cake for a wedding between two people of the same gender in 2012, he was immediately threatened with a legal action. This case was appealed all the way up to the United States Supreme Court in 2018, where the nine justices ruled that the state of Colorado had shown hostility toward Phillips’ religious beliefs and that the government cannot compel individuals to create custom works of art that convey a message that is contrary to their convictions. Both of these decisions were made in light of the fact that the state of Colorado had shown hostility toward Phillips’ religious beliefs.
In spite of this, Phillips was hit with a second legal challenge in 2018, this time brought by a transgender attorney who demanded a cake commemorating a gender transition. After Phillips’ refusal, he found himself back in court, where he was accused of prejudice against another party. Now, the Supreme Court of Colorado has decided that they will consider this case.
Phillips voiced his optimism on this new development, noting that he thinks it heralds the arrival of “light at the end of the tunnel.” He highlighted that he serves everyone, and that the question is not who he serves but rather what kind of individualized creations his customers ask him to build for them.
Phillips has endured a long and difficult journey during the court struggle, which has been marred by a number of threats and death threats. In spite of the difficulties, he is of the opinion that he has grown in his faith as a result of the experience.
Phillips noted the support he has received from a variety of people, including a gay man who spoke on his side in court. Phillips admitted that he serves all customers but is unable to build every personalized cake that is requested.
He highlighted that the lawsuit is not a personal matter and that he has nothing to forgive, noting that it is about his right to express his religious freedom without fear of punishment in the marketplace. He said that the case is about his right to express his religious freedom without fear of penalty.
There has not yet been a date set for the oral arguments for this case; however, it is anticipated that they will take place in the spring. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing Phillips, will argue that recent legal precedents, such as the decision in 303 Creative vs. Elenis, support Phillips’ freedom to deny constructing a bespoke cake that sends a message that is in conflict with his values. 303 Creative vs. Elenis was a case that was decided in 2014.