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(Image by Sebastian/Pixabay/Creative Commons) (RNS) — It might seem strange that an Orthodox Jewish rabbi would side with a Christian adoption agency that refused to accommodate a Jewish couple. But I do. Elizabeth and Gabriel Rutan-Ram, of Knox County, Tennessee, wanted to adopt a child. In order to proceed, they had to complete a foster-parent training program and receive a home-study certification. In 2021, the Rutan-Rams turned to Holston United Methodist Home for Children to obtain those resources. But they were told that the agency, as a faith-based entity, serves only Christian applicants. A 2020 Tennessee law authorizes child-placing agencies to deny services based on the agencies’ religious policies, even if the services are funded by the state, as Holston United Methodist Home is. The Rutan-Rams sued the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services in early 2022, arguing that the law protecting the adoption agency violated the religious freedom and equal protection guarantees of the Tennessee Constitution. After a flurry of dismissals and appeals, in May, the Tennessee Supreme Court favored the parents, allowing the lawsuit to proceed to trial. RELATED: After the end of Roe, a new beginning for maternity homes The Rutan-Rams have become the face of a […]