Must Read Alaska: Why Does Alaska Score So Low on Religious Liberty Ranking?

Editor’s Note: The following column was published by Must Read Alaska on August 9, 2024, and is authored by Tim Barto, senior contributor to Must Read Alaska and vice president of Alaska Family Council.

Alaska is ranked 49^th in the nation for religious freedom, actually below California, which earned a 48^th placement.

This ranking is conducted by the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy, and published in a study called Ranking Religious Liberty In The States. The organization has been publishing these studies since 2022, ranking each state from those that offer the most religious liberty (#1) to the least (#50).

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So, what makes The Great Land score so low when it comes to religious liberty? The main culprits are the categories of sterilization and contraception refusal, areas in which Alaska received zero marks. 

Sterilization refusal refers to the ability of health-care providers, individuals, and institutions to opt out of performing sterilization procedures due to religious beliefs.

Similarly, contraception refusal refers to the same lack of exemptions. 

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Another area in which Alaska can certainly improve in the area of religious liberty has to do with marriage and wedding celebrations. When it comes to allowing clergy, religious organizations, government officials, and private businesses from being allowed to recuse themselves from taking part in weddings or wedding celebrations that conflict with their religious convictions, Alaska scores extremely low. 

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Read the entire story at Must Read Alaska here.