More than two-thirds of Americans oppose requiring faith-based organizations to provide abortion coverage contrary to their beliefs, according to a newly released poll, as the issue makes its way through the courts.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s 2024 Religious Freedom Index found that 70% of Americans polled agree that the government should not require organizations with religious or ethical objections to abortion to offer health insurance plans that cover elective pregnancy terminations.

Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said Thursday that the “issue of abortion may divide Americans, but religious freedom unites them.”

“Even when touching a topic as contentious as abortion, most Americans believe that religious people and groups should not be forced to violate their conscience by paying for abortions,” Ms. Windham said. “It’s an encouraging sign that, no matter the issue, protecting religious liberty remains a shared value.”

The polling results come with Becket representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and other religious groups in fighting New York’s mandate on providing abortion coverage in employee health plans, a legal battle that dates back to 2017.

In September, the coalition of religious groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block the state requirement.

Heart and Mind Strategies conducts the annual Religious Freedom Index survey in October for Becket, drawing from a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S adults. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.