Insurance fight shows Catholic-Evangelical ties

By TOM BREEN
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The support shown by evangelical Christian leaders for Roman Catholics in a dispute with the Obama administration over birth control would have been hard to imagine a generation ago.

Contraception was once a wedge between Catholics, who have historically opposed it, and Protestants, who don't generally object to most methods of birth control.

But the anger shown by many evangelicals at the rule that would have forced religious employers to pay for workers' birth control shows an alliance that's been building for years.

Protestant leaders like Albert Mohler and Richard Land say the issue is about religious liberty rather than contraception.

But Randall Balmer, an expert on religion at Columbia University, says political considerations likely played a role, given that so many evangelicals disapprove of the president.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)