The Alliance Defending Freedom is the world’s largest legal organization committed to defending religious freedom. In addition to its work in the United States, ADF also has offices and representatives around the globe. Its primary focus is on bringing a voice for believers and non-believers who are denied freedom of speech, conscience, religion, and belief. According to their website, they work “to preserve Christian principles.” The ADF has been labeled as controversial because of its activism supporting what it considers religious rights in public arenas, such as marriage, military service, and education.
- Early Life
Formerly known as Alliance Defense Fund, the ADF was founded by Alan Sears and a group of lawyers in 1994 to help Christians involved in court cases regarding religious liberty. It was not until the early 2000s that the ADF began to expand its focus to include more conservative or religious-based issues. Alan Sears graduated from Boston University Law School in 1977 and moved to Washington D.C, where he went on to be an Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights under Ronald Reagan’s administration from 1981-1985, then became a VP at the Family Research Council, a conservative think tank based out of Washington D.C.
- Career
The ADF has been labeled as controversial because of its activism in support of what it considers religious rights in public arenas such as marriage, military service, and education. Sears is well known for his lawyer, author, and speaker work. The ADF has been involved in many court cases, including the one against the Boy Scouts of America based on their ban on gay scout leaders and scout members. The Alliance Defending Freedom is also known for its use of strategic litigation, which allows attorneys to collect millions from other groups that take rights away from them (e.g., prison rape reform) to further the cause behind their legal actions with the goal of “providing affordable justice for all Americans.
- Achievements
The Alliance Defending Freedom has achieved many important legal decisions in the past few years. In 2009, the group successfully blocked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from implementing rules that would have forced most Christian news stations to close down. The following year, it held off a federal investigation into alleged illegal lobbying activities by another organization, Alliance Defending Freedom itself. In 2012 the ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission against two bakeries that refused to bake cakes for same-sex couples on religious grounds.
To be successful, the ADF must maintain a solid and influential presence to change the opinions of lawmakers, judges, and the public regarding majorly significant issues such as immigration. In 2014 the group successfully sued on behalf of an American citizen who was denied a visa in South Africa because he refused to state his religious affiliation. Visit this page for more information.
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