Sda Religious Freedom PDF

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH: A
DISCOURSE ON THE IMPERATIVE FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY*
Richmund C. Sta. Lucia**
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work,
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord
thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou,
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant,nor
thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them
is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord
blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
- Exodus 20:8-111
I have possess'd your grace of what I purpose
And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn.
- William Shakespeare2
Freedom of religion has a higher dignity under the
Constitution than municipal or personal convenience.
- Justice Francis William Murphy3
* Cite as Richmund C. Sta. Lucia, The Constitutional Foundation of the Sabbath: A Discourse On The Imperative
For Religious Liberty, 85 Phil L.J. 700, (page cited) (2011).
** Editor, PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL (2010). Member, Order of the Purple Feather (OPF) Honor
Society (2007-11). Scholar, Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC) Law Scholarship (2008-09). J.D.,
University of the Philippines, College of Law (2011). B.S. B.A.A., University of the Philippines (2004). The
author acknowledges the able tutelage of Professor Raul C. Pangalangan in supervising the writing of this
work.
1 The Book of Exodus, from the Old Testament of the Christian Holy Bible.
2 A line by Shylock in his conversation with the Duke, from Act IV, Scene 1of Merchant of Venice.
3 Concurring in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Martin v. City of Struthers, 319 U.S. 141 (1943).
700
2011]
THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH
701
I. INTRODUCTION: THE TENSE DYNAMIC BETWEEN SECULARISM

AND RELIGIOSITY
The dynamic between state and religion continues to be a difficult and
sensitive topic in contemporary public debate. A citizen with the civic duty to
obey laws and regulations can, as oftentimes, be also a follower of a certain
religious faith. Such dual capacity may give rise to a dilemma where she must
choose between following, on the one hand The Law administered and enforced
by the State apparatus in the tradition of Rousseaus social contract, and on the
other hand The Canon embodying the code of moral conduct that a believer
should follow in her lifelong quest to reconnect to her God. An attempt to arrive
at a viable solution must necessarily consider how the institution of law figures in
this tense equation.
One particular issue interwoven along the lines of this Church-and-State
conundrum concerns the moral obligation of observing the Sabbath as the holy
day of rest. A particular group of Christians4 professing a sincere belief in the
Bible finds in one of its books the moral injunction that on one day of the week,
they must depart from the usual weeks activities and rest, that is, both physically
and spiritually.5 Believers who hold the belief that Saturday is the holy day of
restin other words, the Sabbathare accordingly referred to as Sabbath-keepers
or Sabbatarians. The central aspect of how a Sabbath-keeper exercises her faith is
done by observing rest on the Sabbath, which means that their core belief enjoins
them on that day to keep away from anything secular, and to move towards the
spiritual. She cultivates her relationship with her God by stopping work, study,
and play during that day, and by setting her sights on praising and worshiping her
Almighty Deity.
Well and good if the Sabbath believer does not encounter any problem
with regard to its observance. However, what if there are contending factors to
consider that may conflict with the observance of the Sabbath, a focal aspect of
their belief system supposedly considered a sacred religious right? How will the
principles of our present laws on religious freedom and liberty deal with the
4 Christians are members of the religious faith following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Even though the
large umbrella of believers are divided into countless subgroups of sects and denominations, they continue
to comprise the religious majority in the world up to today.
5 The Holy Bible, Exodus 20:8-11.
702
PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL
[VOL. 85
situation where one has to balance politico-civil and religious duties? The
fundamental law on religious liberty6 and the classic Church-State debate can now
be put to the test by a highly contentious case in point deemed worthy of scholarly
discourse: the Sabbath issue of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church (the
Church).7 Their case provides the most pertinent problematique on the legal
issue on Sabbath.
In this work, I will attempt to find a viable solution to the issue
confronting the SDA Church in keeping their faith and at the same time
complying with their socio-civic duties which may potentially impair their ability to
observe their Sabbath doctrine. First, I will give a background of the Churchs
core beliefs and their principal Sabbath doctrine. Second, I will lay the
constitutional and legal foundation upon which the right to religious liberty of the
Church shall be based. Third, I will refer to jurisprudence, both in the U.S. and in
our local jurisdiction, that will serve as guideposts towards finding the solution to
the Sabbath problem. Fourth, I will tackle the emerging issues with the State, at
work, and in school where a potent clash between diametrically opposed
constitutional rights may friction. Afterwards, I will give some recommendations
that purport to resolve the Sabbath issue.
It is with this hope of bringing some new insight and shedding further
light on the matter of the Sabbath that this work is premised on. Thus, I am not
intending to propose any final solution or panacea to this highly debatable
problematique. Rather, my approach merely stems from such modest aim of
addressing a socio-legal issue on the Sabbath. Necessarily, I will at times delve on
some religious material in this work so as to arrive at a fuller understanding of the
Churchs sincere belief and the basis of their right to religious freedom. At the end
of the day, the academic value and legal analysis (which the Church may refer to if
and when desired) sought to be generated represent the prime objective of this
work.
6 The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines boldly enunciates the absolutist guiding principle on
religious liberty: that the free exercise of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or
preference, shall forever be allowed. (Emphasis supplied)
7 When I use the term the Church, I am referring to the members of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church comprising the global organization sharing the standard core belief under the umbrella jurisdiction
of the General Conference headquarters, in contrast to other breakaway subgroups and other Sabbatarian
movements.
2011]
703
II. CASE IN POINT: THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

A proverbial clash between Sabbath-keepers religious liberty and other
parties rights (say, state police power, employers right to property, or academic
institutions right to academic freedom) may arise when the right to observe their
Sabbath as their day of rest is invoked. Perceptively, invoking it may in turn have
an impactoften adverseon their employment, education, or other societal, in
contrast to their religious, obligations. This problem continues to recur here and
even abroad the fact of the matter is that the present corpus of laws and
jurisprudence lacks any definitive legal guideline that will resolve this matter once
and for all.
Accordingly, this work seeks to attain the delicate balance of these
competing rights by situating the issue in the context of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church. History has shown that time and again they have faced this moral
dilemma. To fully understand the moral-ethical basis of their belief and the
underlying legal premise of their right to religious freedom,8 it is indispensable to
comprehensively discuss some theological concepts and doctrines (in contrast to a
purely legal, social, or economic discourse which may not precisely express the
point). For that reason, an exhaustive and encompassing discussion of the SDA
Churchs beliefs is in order.
As one of its defining doctrines, the Church holds the much cherished
belief that Saturday is the Sabbath day of rest. They view the Sabbath as Gods
memorial of creation. They eagerly look forward to the advent or coming of Jesus
Christ.9 The Church possesses a sense of religious duty and moral imperative:
whenever Saturday is observed, they do it in order to worship and please God as
the Supreme Rewarder. In the same token, if ever the necessity for Sabbath
observance is violated, they do so against God as well, as the Supreme Punisher at
the proper time of reckoning. In other words, the institution of the Sabbath is a
8 I am using the terms religious freedom and religious liberty interchangeably, as both referring to the dual
clauses enshrined in the Constitution: free exercise and non-establishment. However, I am giving more
emphasis and orientation to the free exercise clause since it is that right which approximates more the right
to observe the Sabbath day of rest of the SDA Church.
9 This is known as the Advent or the Second Comingthus the term Adventism. Believers
anticipate that someday upon the occurrence of this event, the faithful will be rewarded with an eternal
afterlife.
704
[VOL. 85
sacrament between divine and human. Thus, the Church views its demand or
obligatoriness as superior to any human handiwork.
Besides emphasizing the injunctive observance of Saturday, the Church
further believes in the sanctity and genuineness of the Bible, the duty to evangelize
or proselytize, church fellowship, simple living, and a healthy lifestyle. So, why are
they called Seventh-day Adventists? The Church explains the reason behind the
selection of its name and the theological underpinning of their religious mission:
The name Seventh-day Adventist includes vital belief for us as a
Church. Adventist reflects our passionate conviction in the nearness of the
soon return (advent) of Jesus. Seventh-day refers to the Biblical Sabbath
which from Creation has always been the seventh day of the week, or
Saturday.
The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to proclaim to
all peoples the everlasting gospel in the context of the Three Angels
messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept Jesus as their
personal Savior and to unite with His church, and nurturing them in
preparation for His soon return.
In harmony with the prophecies of the Scriptures, we see as the
climax of Gods plan the restoration of all His creation to full harmony with
His perfect will and righteousness.10
From the foregoing text, one can glean the Churchs noble theme of
bringing people to restoration and promote the right kind of living. Given this
Churchs general background, a narration of its mission statement together with a
reflection on how it has shaped its belief system today is invaluable for a
contextual understanding of the notion of the Sabbath.
A. MISSION STATEMENT AND VIEW ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
The Churchs present state on Philippine soil shows the established
church that it has evolved into. Its firm rooting in evangelization and
10 NESTOR RILLOMA & JOSE SARSOZA, JR. EDS., 100 YEARS BACK TO THE F UTURE: CELEBRATING
GODS GOODNESS 7 (2005). The book narrates an insightful account of the history of the SDA Church in
the Philippines.
2011]
705
proselytization, which to a large part includes belief in the biblical Sabbath, paved
the way for the Church to grow and invite others to accept the faith. In so doing,
the Church lives true to its mission statement of spreading its message, which it
strives to accomplish through preaching, teaching, healing, and discipling.11
Particularly on the matter of religious liberty, the Church has released an
official statement. These were issued by the PARL (Public Affairs and Religious
Liberty), a division in the General Conference headquarters. On the SDA official
website it was posted:
For more than a century Seventh-day Adventists have been active
promoters of religious freedom. We recognize the need to champion
freedom of conscience and religion as a fundamental human right, in
harmony with the instruments of the United Nations.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a presence in 209 countries.
With some exceptions, however, Adventists constitute a religious minority,
and have at times been subject to restrictions and discrimination.
Consequently, they have felt it necessary to stand up for human rights.
As loyal citizens, Adventists believe they have the right to
freedom of religion, subject to the equal rights of others. This implies the
freedom to meet for instruction and worship, to worship on the
seventh day of the week (Saturday), and to disseminate religious views by
public preaching, or through the media. This freedom further includes the
right to change one's religion, as well as to respectfully invite others to do so.
Every person has a right to demand consideration whenever conscience does
not allow the performance of certain public duties, such as requiring the
bearing of arms. Whenever churches are given access to public media,
Adventists should in all fairness be included.
We will continue to cooperate and network with others to defend
the religious liberty of all people, including those with whom we may
disagree.12 (Emphases supplied)
The Church has also issued a statement on religious minorities. One may
notice that the SDA Church itself is a minority religion in the Philippines. A
11
12
Available at http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat1.html (last visited 28 October 2010).

706
[VOL. 85
dedicated portion on its official website entitled Religious Minorities and

Religious Freedom: A Statement of Commitment and Concern, provides that:
Throughout history religious minorities have often been subject to
discrimination and outright persecution. Today religious intolerance and
prejudice are again on the rise. Notwithstanding the affirmation of the
freedom of everyone to hold and disseminate religious views and to change
one's religion--an affirmation sustained in the United Nations instruments
and documents comprising an "International Bill of Rights"--many countries
deny this right to their citizens.
International instruments condemn discrimination against minorities, but
tragically, some nations have published lists of religious groups described as
potentially dangerous sects. Anti-sect commissions have been set up,
investigative personnel have been trained, and restrictive laws passed.
Hundreds of thousands of innocent believers are now under official
suspicion and are treated as second-class citizens. All this violates religious
freedom, which is the most basic and essential of the fundamental rights of
humankind. Seventh-day Adventists believe in obeying the laws of the land
as long as they do not conflict with the laws of God. However, we oppose
any law, policy, or activity which discriminates against religious minorities.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church stands for religious freedom for
everyone, as well as for the separation of church and state. Scripture teaches
that the God who gave life also gave freedom of choice. God only accepts
homage that is freely given. Seventh-day Adventists further believe that the
law must be applied evenly and without capricious favor. We submit that no
religious group should be judged because some adherents may appear to be
extremists. Religious freedom is limited when aggressive or violent behavior
violates the human rights of others.
In support of Article 18 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and other international instruments, and in harmony with its
beliefs and its history, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is fully
committed to promote, defend, and protect religious freedom for
everyone, everywhere. To that end, we will continue to cooperate with the
United Nations Human Rights Commission and other international agencies
and religious organizations to encourage every nation to implement the
fundamental right of religious freedom. In addition, we will continue to
2011]
707
promote dialogue and better understanding between governmental

authorities and people who belong to religious minorities.13 (Emphasis supplied)
From these statements, it can be gleaned that the SDA Church, albeit
considered a religious minority, invites all without exception to respect religious
freedom without any discrimination. The right to religious freedom and
expression certainly hinges on being allowed to follow the dictates of ones
conscience without being denied, harassed, or limited in doing so. The Church
takes a clear stand that religious liberty is an uncompromising imperative that can
be ardently justified both legally and morally. And one particular facet of religious
liberty is the imperative to respect the notion of the Sabbath, given its extreme
significance, as far as SDA members are concerned. A more in-depth look at the
Adventist belief system and philosophy will enlighten towards a better
understanding of the basis of the Sabbath doctrine.
B. CORE BELIEFS AND VALUES
A comprehensive document published by the Church is the 28
Fundamental Beliefs.14 It encapsulates its unique set of particular values, beliefs,
and views considered as its trademark as a sincere Christian denomination. It is
the one-stop-shop manual of SDA principles and beliefs. As the central basis of
its belief, it was declared in its official website that Seventh-day Adventists accept
the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the
teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the
church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.15 The SDA
Church espouses 28 fundamental views in a seminal work, Seventh-day Adventists
Believe.
The Church espouses a disciplined code of conduct. Aside from the strict
observance of Saturday as their holy day of rest, the Church prescribes the kind of
diet, dress and adornment, social activities, and other aspects of a Christian
lifestyle. These matters are modeled after the example of Jesus Christs life as was

The basic tenets and guiding principles of the Adventist Church can be found on its official website,
www.adventist.org. The webpage also includes a portion which lays down the Churchs official stand on a
range of moral and ethical issues confronting contemporary society.
15 Available at http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html (last visited 28 October
2010).
13
14
708
[VOL. 85
recorded in the Bible. The particularistic type of living that characterizes the
Seventh-day Adventist sends out a message to all that life on this earth is beholden
to the duty to obey the moral laws and injunctions specially provided by divine
instruction. One of these laws concern the day of rest and worship that a member
must at all times obey.
To get a deeper grasp of the Sabbath as a religious right, the 20th point
enumerated deals with Saturday as their holy day of rest through a specifically
theological approach, as stated in this wise:
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh
day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The
fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of
this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony
with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The
Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a
symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of
our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in Gods kingdom. The
Sabbath is Gods perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and
His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening,
sunset to sunset, is a celebration of Gods creative and redemptive acts.16
The foregoing account also explains the shared meaning of the Sabbath to
the SDA Church members en masse. There are seven features enumerated which
portray such meaning:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
A perpetual memorial of Creation

A symbol of redemption
A sign of sanctification
A sign of loyalty
A time of fellowship
A sign of righteousness by faith and
A symbol of resting in Christ.17
16 MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION, GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SDAS, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

BELIEVEA BIBLICAL EXPOSITION OF FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES 281 (2005). It cites the following texts
of the Bible as the moral justification for the Sabbath belief: Genesis 2:1-3 Exodus 20:8-11 Luke 4:16
Isaiah 56:5, 6 58:13, 14 Matthew 12:1-12 Exodus 31:13-17 Ezekiel 20:12, 20 Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Hebrews 4:1-11 Leviticus 23:32 and Mark 1:32.
17 Id. at 287-91.
2011]
709
Gathering from the selection of its name and the embodiment of its Holy
Sabbath in its list of fundamental beliefs, the observance of Saturday assumes a
vital importance in the religious life of its members. Finally a thorough approach
to appreciating the legal right of SDAs to observe the Sabbath day of rest
completes the picture by laying the groundwork for an understanding why such
special right to religious liberty is proactively invoked even before and at present.
C. PRIMAL SANCTITY OF SATURDAY AS THE SABBATH DAY OF REST
The Church accords primal and overriding importance to the Sabbath,
which is Saturday or the seventh day of the week, as one of its trademark beliefs.
Given its paramount significance to a persons moral obligation and duty, the
Church holds Sabbath-keeping as the ultimate test that defines the true SDA
believer.
On the observance of the Sabbath, their Ministerial Association further
elucidated on the moral-religious basis of their belief to day of rest as a primary
tenet of their faith. The Church enjoins to members to think of the Sabbath as a
day of special communion with God. During the day, one is invited to celebrate
activities commemorating the Creation and mans redemption. To be able to do
so, it is deemed important to avoid anything that tends to diminish its sacred
atmosphere. The Bible mandates believers to cease doing secular work during
Sabbath. It also proscribes members to refrain from any work done to earn a
living and other business.18
So when, technically, is the Sabbath day? Simply, the Sabbath period is
understood to run from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset.19 The Ministerial
Association of the General Conference further lays down a guideline in observing
the timelines. Basically, Sabbath starts at sunset on Friday evening, and lasts until
sunset on Saturday evening. During this special day of rest, the Church enunciates
a prescribed mode of activity: it is well for family members or groups of believers
to gather togetherto sing, pray, and read Gods word, thus inviting the Spirit of
Christ as a welcome guest. Similarly, they should mark its close by uniting in
Supra note 27, at 296.

This may be viewed as akin to the Sabbath observed by Orthodox Jews, where present-day
Christianity originated from.
18
19
710
[VOL. 85
worship toward the close of the Sabbath on Saturday evening, requesting Gods
presence and guidance through the ensuing week.20
Moreover, Samuele Bacchiocchi, a leading Adventist theological scholar,
observed that: The Biblical notion of the holy Sabbath, [is] understood as a
time to cease from secular activities in order to experience the blessings of
creation-redemption by worshiping God and by acting generously toward needy
people.21 On the origin of the Sabbath from Biblical creation, he further
points out the expressed textual basis found in the Bible as authority: [t]he
theological reason given for the command to observe the seventh day Sabbath to
the Lord your God (Ex. 20:10) is for in six days the Lord made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that is in them and rested the seventh day therefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Ex. 20:11) To keep the Sabbath holy
can be done by:
(1) following the divine example given at creation,
(2) recognizing the divine Creator, and
(3) participating in rest and divine blessings for mankind.22
As can be easily seen, the Bible is considered the authority on the Sabbath
requirement. Indeed, [o]utside the biblical sources which should settle the matter,
one finds widespread recognition of the creation origin of the Sabbath in both
Jewish and Christian tradition history.23 The story of Christian creation, as the
grand event which paved the way for the observance of the Sabbath for man to
emulate, starts off the first recorded historical account in the Bible. It also bears
emphasis that the observance of the Sabbath involves the intricate relationship
between man and God, between human and divine. Thus a believer follows the
Saturday requirement as a moral obligation to the Lord God, and not from any
human, no matter the authority conferred. Thus also, this explains the
uncompromising attitude of the Church in asserting religious liberty rights to
observe the Sabbath.
Id., at 296-97.
SAMUELE BACCHIOCCHI, FROM SABBATH TO SUNDAY: A HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE
RISE OF SUNDAY OBSERVANCE IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY 9 (1977).
22 SAMUELE BACCHIOCCHI, THE SABBATH UNDER CROSSFIRE: A BIBLICAL ANALYSIS OF RECENT
SABBATH/SUNDAY DEVELOPMENTS 62 (1998).
23 Id. at 65
20
21
2011]
711
The Church has also provided some guidelines for Sabbath observance.
It asserts that the Sabbath is a safeguard of [ones] relationship with [her] God,
and further proceeds to explain that for a Seventh-day Adventist:
The Sabbath encompasses our entire relationship with God. It is
an indication of God's action on our behalf in the past, present, and future.
The Sabbath protects man's friendship with God and provides the time
essential for the development of that relationship. The Sabbath clarifies the
relationship between God and the human family, for it points to God as
Creator at a time when human beings would like to usurp God's position in
the universe.
In this age of materialism, the Sabbath points men and women to
the spiritual and to the personal. The consequences for forgetting the
Sabbath day to keep it holy are serious. It will lead to the distortion and
eventual destruction of a person's relationship with God.
When the Sabbath is kept, it is a witness to the rest that comes
from trusting God alone as our sustainer, as the basis of our salvation, and as
the ground of our hope in the future. As such, the Sabbath is a delight
because we have entered God's rest and have accepted the invitation to
fellowship with Him.
When God asks us to remember the Sabbath day He does so
because He wants us to remember Him.24
As I had provided in this works quotable epigram, the moral injunction

simply stated is thus: remember the Sabbath day. Remembering in this sense
entails an uncompromising stand, admitting of only rare exceptions25 provided also
in the Bible alone. Lastly, Bacchiocchi gave the theological philosophy and the
cognitive appreciation behind the Churchs observance of Saturday as the Sabbath
24 Available at http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other-documents/other-doc6.html (last visited 28

October 2010).
25 The principle is that the observance of Saturday is an imperative, and thus members of the Church
endeavor to do everything within their means to comply with the moral command. However, as Jesus Christ
himself has pointed out in the Bible in response to the hypocrisy of some Jewish leaders, The Sabbath is
made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. (The Bible, Matthew 12:12, Luke 6:9) He further went on to
give an example that shows the principle of this exception: when ones donkey fell on a pit, will he not pull it
out to save it? Thus it is perfectly allowable to do good, or the right thing, on the Sabbath day. This is
interpreted by the Church to mean that an exception may be carved out for the purpose of doing an urgent
justifiable act on Saturday. However one cannot conveniently invoke the exception so as to justify doing an
712
[VOL. 85
day of rest. He noted that the Sabbath does enable the Savior to bring perfect
rest to our lives by offering us the opportunity to experience the rest of creation,
the rest of divine presence, the rest of belonging, the rest from competition, the
rest from social tensions, the rest of redemption and the rest of service.26
The lofty ideals of the Church that help bring about a realization of Gods
express command cannot be denied. Its Sabbath-keeping must be considered one
of the most well regarded expressions of religious worship that constitute a
declaration that she is living true to her avowed faith. In other words, respecting
the Sabbath is a concrete application of the constitutional right to religious liberty.
Having discussed the moral and ethical foundation of why observance of
the Sabbath is jealously guarded by SDAs, the question now is: can Sabbathkeepers enjoy their right to observe their holy day of rest? Is there any basis
enshrined in the Philippine Constitution or state laws for this particular religious
right? Is there any guiding jurisprudence in Philippine jurisdiction, and even
persuasively that of the U.S., which can serve as a legal foundation for invoking the
Sabbath? Succinctly put, can SDAs legally justify their right to observe the
Sabbath? These questions call for an answer which can be found in no other
authority than the law itself. I will now proceed to discuss the legal bases which lay
the foundation of the religious right to the observance of the Sabbath as an
imperative for the notion of religious liberty.
III. LEGAL FRAMEWORK: THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION
Basically, freedom of religion or religious liberty means a persons right to
choose a set of beliefs that normally concerns the relationship between that person
and her Deity. This often includes a moral code of conduct that regulates fitness
for divine reward and punishment for misdeed.27 Choosing ones religion or moral
belief system is inextricably linked to ones freedom of choice. As a certain
religion so chosen necessarily involves the deep, personal beliefs that define an
action normally considered as either work or play. The Church has made it clear that the observance of
a Saturday as the Sabbath is a strict and well defined principle for the guidance of its members.
26 SAMUELE BACCHIOCCHI, DIVINE REST FOR HUMAN RESTLESSNESS: A THEOLOGICAL STUDY OF
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE SABBATH FOR TODAY 226 (1980).
27 In religious parlance, a mistake, error, or wrongdoing is called sin. The transgression of the Holy
Sabbath is considered a serious sin because it offends one of the Ten Commandments, or the moral law,
given in the Bible.
2011]
713
individual, this area automatically treads on sensitive matter.28 If the pervasive

ambit of the law permeates the realm of religion, the believer then encounters a
conflict between his moral-spiritual and civil-political interests.
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is universally regarded by modern
civilized nations as a human right which cannot be derogated in much the same
way that, needless to say, there is no dispute in matters of opinion. Anyone can
freely select what perspective to take: the domain of thinking and intentionality
cannot be intruded by any State action so long as it does not translate into action
deemed detrimental to society. In a democratic, pluralistic society extant in todays
freedom-loving polities, religious liberty means a welcome diversity which must be
tolerated and allowed to flourish in the traditional sense of Rawlsian
libertarianism.29
Respecting the right of SDA members to observe the Sabbath is a
concrete example of implementing due respect to freedom of religion. To situate
the right to day of rest in the mapping of the law, there are three legal regimes or
frameworks upon which religious liberty stands: international law, Philippine
constitutional law, and Philippine statutory law. A discourse on how the right to
observe the Sabbath can be justified and thus protected by the law necessitates an
examination of how these frameworks operate in terms of their effectivity and
jurisdiction.
28 The sensitivity of matters dealing with religion is discussed above in the Introduction The Tense
Dynamic between Secularism and Religiosity. This is most especially true to the issue of observing the
Sabbath as Sabbath-keepers jealously protect their right to day of rest in keeping with the principle of
religious liberty particularly for religious minorities like the SDA Church.
29 A further elucidation of John Rawlss view on liberty and religion goes: In developing a specifically
political form of liberalism, Rawls responds to the complaint that a liberal political outlook is simply the
political department of a comprehensively liberal philosophy of lifesecular, skeptical, dismissive of the idea
of a moral order antecedent to human willand therefore hostile to citizens of faith. Rawls disagrees: he
believes that there are different routes, none preferred, that citizens may take to endorsing common
political principles: In endorsing a constitutional democratic regime, a religious doctrine may say that such
are the limits God sets to our liberty a nonreligious doctrine will express itself otherwise. What we learn
from the history of religion and philosophy is that there are many reasonable ways in which the wider
realm of values can be understood so as to be either congruent with, or supportive of, or else not in conflict
with , the values appropriate to the special domain of the political as specified by a political conception of
714
[VOL. 85
A. INTERNATIONAL LAW REGIME

International law sets forth the blanket principle of freedom of religion
and religious liberty that States implement within their national bounds. The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides in art. 18: Everyone
has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in
community with others in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in
teaching, practice, worship and observance. This Declaration is generally
observed and accepted by todays community of nations as it lays down the general
precept and humanitarian values to be adopted by States so as to afford every
human being the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as
the right to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and
observance. These two universal human rights can readilyboth textually and
substantiallyinclude the right of SDAs to freely exercise their religion by
observing the core principle of the Sabbath. They may also manifest the selfsame
right by asserting it vis--vis others who are enjoined to respect that right.
The protection accorded to the Sabbath as a component of religious
liberty guaranteed by the corpus of international law does not end in general
precepts. Further, treaty law has embodied in particular freedom of religion as a
principle which practically all nations have accepted as normative and binding.
The International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), art. 18, states:
(1) Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his
choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public
or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and
teaching. (2) No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom
to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice. Same with the UDHR
provision, the ICCPR further extends protection to freedom of religion.
Intuitively, this means an Adventist member whose right to day of rest is violated
by either a public or private party, can invoke the ICCPR as the source of that
right.
justice. (Emphasis supplied) See JOHN RAWLS, A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO THE MEANING OF SIN AND FAITH 22
(2009).
2011]
715
Moreover, there is a particular instrument that seeks to protect religious

liberty under which the Sabbath is covered. The Declaration on the Elimination
of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly of 25 November 1981, art. 6
thereof, states that: In accordance with article 1 of the present Declaration, and
subject to the provisions of article 1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought,
conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter alia, the following freedoms: x x x
(h) To observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in
accordance with the precepts of one's religion or belief. (Emphasis mine)
Subsequently article 7 thereof requires State-parties to adopt municipal legislation
for the purpose of respecting religious freedom: The rights and freedoms set
forth in the present Declaration shall be accorded in national legislation in such a
manner that everyone shall be able to avail himself of such rights and freedoms in
practice.
Tackling directly the imperative for a day of rest, our present international
labor standards provide for such. International Labor Convention (ILO) No.
10630 or the Convention concerning Weekly Rest in Commerce and Offices, was
adopted in Geneva to provide for the proper working time and rest period for
workers.
Article 6
1. All persons to whom this Convention applies shall, except as otherwise
provided by the following Articles, be entitled to an uninterrupted weekly
rest period comprising not less than 24 hours in the course of each
period of seven days.
2. The weekly rest period shall, wherever possible, be granted simultaneously
to all the persons concerned in each establishment.
3. The weekly rest period shall, wherever possible, coincide with the day of
the week established as a day of rest by the traditions or customs of the
country or district.
30 ILO No. 106 came into force on 4 March 1959. The Philippines joined the ILO in 1948, and has
since
been
an
active
member
in
supporting
its
policies
and
programs.
See
http://www.ilo.org/manila/aboutus/lang--en/index.htm.
716
[VOL. 85
4. The traditions and customs of religious minorities shall, as far as

possible, be respected. (Emphases supplied)
From these foregoing international instruments one can gather the special
and definite protection sought to be accorded to freedom of religion, and the right
to day of rest for that matter. The weekly rest period is not merely a recognition
of the physical need to take some time off from work, say, for the purpose of
inuring to the benefit of an employer by enhancing worker productivity towards
work efficiency. Rather, there is an express acknowledgement and recognition of
the traditions and customs of cultural minorities. The SDA Sabbath doctrine
falls squarely under this caption thus, it is well considered a fundamental human
right under international law. Such universality of religious liberty as a basic
human right can also be attributed to the selfsame universality and ubiquity of
religion, in whatever legitimate form it may take and regardless of the sociocultural and temporal context it may operate in.
B. CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION
Same as the body of international law dealing with religious rights,
religious freedom clauses are ordinarily found in the constitutions of modern
libertarian states, particularly that of the Philippines and that of the United States
(to which Philippine law gives persuasive jurisdiction). Such constitutional regime
enshrining the freedom of belief and worship proves that the founding fathers of
our constitution did consider the right emanating from provisions on religious
clauses as occupying a protected and jealously guarded position. The intended
protection also stems from the very nature of religion that can capably incite ones
moral passions and intimate individuality.
The Philippine Constitution, being the highest law of the land, treats
freedom of religion as a civil liberty such that any action that derogates or
apparently violates the right will face strict scrutiny for it to pass constitutional
validity. This scope of protection can even be stretched so as to reach the granting
of special protection. Thus it ranks relatively higher whenever a hierarchy of
constitutionally protected rights must be made. Such special protection can be
gleaned from some examples laid by jurisprudence touching on the application of
the principles of religious liberty, which I shall discuss further. A closer look at the
2011]
717
religious freedom clauses of the U.S. Constitution and that found in the Philippine
Bill of Rights will show the development of legal protection accorded to right to
exercise ones religion.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Constitutions First Amendment of 1791 on Religion, Speech,
Press, Assembly, and Petition provides: Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The First
Amendment, a revered, centuries-tested legal instrument as the supreme law in
American jurisdiction, contains the fundamental guarantees of the doctrines of
separation of Church and State (the non-establishment clause) and religious
freedom and worship (free exercise clause).
Made applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, the
religious freedom clause of the U.S. Constitution has set the historical antecedent
that other States constitutions subsequently promulgated. As a mother
provision, it has found its way enshrined later on in the Philippine Bill of Rights.
For the same reason, Philippine cases are interpreted and decided in pari materia
with American law. Naturally, Philippine cases on religious freedom more often
than not cite American law and cases in resolving issues locally situated as being of
persuasive force to local application.
The Philippine Bill of Rights
Meanwhile the 1987 Philippine Constitution in its Declaration of
Principles categorically provides in art. II, 6: The separation of Church and State
shall be inviolable. This provision is used as a legal guarantee against any
excessive entanglement between Church and State which, historically speaking, has
lead to myriad abuses of civil and religious liberties. Moreover the Philippine Bill
of Rights,31 in art. III, 5, states: No law shall be made respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free
exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without
31 In Philippine political law, the Bill of Rights enshrined fundamental guarantees that are selfexecutory, i.e. there is no further need for implementing legislation or rules to give the law force and effect.
718
[VOL. 85
discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be

required for the exercise of civil or political rights. This religious freedom clause,
Filipino-style, has preserved exactly the same verbatim Bill of Rights of the past
Philippine Constitutions, namely art. IV, 7 of the 1935 Constitution of the
Philippine Commonwealth, and art. IV, 8 of the 1973 Constitution promulgated
under martial law.
Throughout the entire legal history of Philippine constitutions, the
consistent view of the able women and men who drafted them underscores the
unwavering respect granted to religion as a civil liberty which the State cannot
infringe. With the clear and categorical protection accorded to the exercise of
religion as a civil liberty in the Philippine setting, only the application of religious
freedom clauses and principles of religious liberty with its proper interpretation
(often derived from U.S. cases) remain as the big challenge. To aid in the
application of the foregoing legal bases, statutory laws further illumine the legal
basis of SDAs right to observe the Sabbath.
C. STATUTORY BASIS
After a discussion of the basic principles of religious liberty provided by
international law and its guarantee enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, the
contextualization of the right underlying as legal justification for the Sabbath can
be found in the statutory regime governing the matter. As a preliminary note, laws
and statutes passed by legislators, and even orders and rules issued by executive
officials in the exercise of their delegated subsidiary legislation, are often the
product of intensive deliberation and balancing of interests of their constituencies
representing various religious affiliations.
The statutory regime of freedom of religion also recognizes the
constitutional precept that the freedom to worship and choose ones religious
affiliation are of vital importance to society in terms of allowing citizens the
opportunity to live their lives to the full. When the principles of religious freedom
are applied through specific laws and issuances, the individual can then feel and
benefit from the realization that she is protected by the law in her right to exercise
her faith. This can be seen in the rest day provision of Philippine labor law and
other government issuances evidencing respect of the Sabbath.
2011]
719
Rest Day Provisions in Labor Law

Workers are entitled to observe a rest day employers are enjoined to grant
them. There are particular provisions in Republic Act No. 442 or the Labor Code
of the Philippines which recognize that workers must be allowed one day per week
to rest and use time off work for recreational purposes.32 As a matter of fact, it is
not only Philippine law which affords respect for the Sabbath. Weekly rest day
provisions are also legislated in a number of other countries like the Netherlands,
Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.33 For the local setting, the
Philippine Labor Code, Book Three, Title I, Chapter II on Weekly Rest Periods,
art. 91 thereof provides that:
Right to weekly rest day. (a) It shall be the duty of every employer, whether
operating for profit or not, to provide each of his employees a rest period of
not less than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours after every six (6)
consecutive normal work days.
(b) The employer shall determine and schedule the weekly rest day of his
employees subject to collective bargaining agreement and to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of Labor and Employment may provide.
However, the employer shall respect the preference of employees as to
their weekly rest day when such preference is based on religious
grounds. (Emphasis supplied)
Not insignificantly, this rest day almost always coincides with the religious
Sabbath of a worker on which, being true to belief, she has the moral duty to
observe. Thus Saturday and Sunday are the days of the weekend that policies of
employers consider as appropriate to allow the labor force stop work and enjoy
some needed rest. Aside from having economic benefits for enhanced
productivity for the workweek ahead by engaging in recreational and meaningful
activities, the rationale for the weekly rest day also means that workers can freely
exercise the right at least once a week. This legal setup is perfectly conducive for
SDA workers who attend church services on a Saturday. Thus, our statutory law
necessarily touches upon the Sabbath as a demandable right of workers.
32 This was also in keeping with the Philippines obligations to the ILO Convention as a membersignatory.
33 See http://csda-adventistchurch.to/news.html. The webpage gives an interesting account of global
developments with regard to Sunday Law deregulation and Sabbath accommodation.
720
[VOL. 85
The rest day provision of the Labor Code admits of certain enumerated
exceptions,34 i.e. when a worker may be compelled to work even on a rest day.
Still, notwithstanding the stated exceptions, SDA workers have within their reach
the conceptual backing to muster sufficient and substantial legal justification to be
granted their day of rest. At first members of the Church who are ordered to work
on their Sabbath must rather ask for remedial work to be made on another day.
This means, if there are other workers who may work on Saturday, then the right
of the SDA member may be preserved. Alternatively they may opt to assert that a
sincere belief of their avowed religious sacrament as uncompromising.35
Further, the rationale for the hierarchy of competing constitutional rights
gives an established preference in favor of religion over proprietary interests which
may possibly constitute a counter-exception to the rest day rules exception.36
However, this does not necessarily mean that they are better situated or that other
religious groups are discriminated against. The issue in question concerns the
plight of Adventists when confronted with a possible breach of their constitutional
and statutory right to observe the Sabbath day of rest. Obviously, other religious
sects and denominations are free to assert their right to day of rest in much the
same way Adventists must be equally entitled to. The point to be made is that the
protection for rest day labor law must be protected, no matter who the beneficiary
may be.
34 The Philippine Labor Code, Art. 92 provides a well defined exception when an employer may
require work on any day including a rest day: The employer may require his employees to work on any day:
a. In case of actual or impending emergencies caused by serious accident, fire, flood, typhoon, earthquake,
epidemic or other disaster or calamity to prevent loss of life and property, or imminent danger to public
safety
b. In cases of urgent work to be performed on the machinery, equipment, or installation, to avoid serious
loss which the employer would otherwise suffer
c. In the event of abnormal pressure of work due to special circumstances, where the employer cannot
ordinarily be expected to resort to other measures
d. To prevent loss or damage to perishable goods
e. Where the nature of the work requires continuous operations and the stoppage of work may result in
irreparable injury or loss to the employer and
f. Under other circumstances analogous or similar to the foregoing as determined by the Secretary of Labor
and Employment.
35 The point being, the sacrament of Sabbath is viewed by Adventists as a sacred relation between no
less than God and human. Thus, compared to a mundane relation between human and human (i.e.,
employer and employee), the Church chooses to follow the controlling dictates of faith. This shall never be
tantamount to fundamentalism or fanaticism so long as the proper legal basis (and thus, its rationality as
dictated by moral premises) is laid down.
36 More of this shall be discussed below on employers and employees rights.
2011]
721
Other Issuances Accommodating the Sabbath

There are other special laws, orders, policies, or directives that recognize
Sabbath as a legally recognized day of rest. These issuances again lend credence to
support the Churchs entitlement to allow them due observance of their Sabbath
and extend respect to their religious liberty to worship their God. One example is
the recent issuance of the Department of Education (DepEd). The Department
Secretary has issued an administrative order for all employees of the department
which expressly mandates that any member of the SDA Church within their ranks
cannot be forced to work on a Saturday in keeping with their belief. The
unqualified recognition of SDAs right to keep their Sabbath and not to be
assigned work on a Saturday marks a crucial turning point in favor of showing the
imperative to afford respect due to a sincere observance of Sabbath-keeping. The
department directive is a positive development for SDAs who are advocating
religious liberty within any organization that they work at.
Whether or not other government departments or instrumentality will
follow suit remains to be seen in the future. In any event, that SDAs at present
can confidently look up to the recognition made by the Philippine government
(with the Department Secretary acting as the Presidents alter ego) is certainly a
welcome step that can favorably be invoked to invite other government officials
and functionaries to allow the selfsame respect.
IV. JURISPRUDENTIAL GUIDEPOSTS: RIGHT TO DAY OF REST AS
APPLIED
Now after a discussion of the legal framework on the Sabbath and
religious liberty, how the law figures in jurisprudence will give a more graphic
representation of the rest day justification. As of this writing there has already
been a wide catena of cases dealing with the religious freedom clauses both in U.S.
and Philippine jurisdictions. In principle, Philippine case law borrows heavily
from the doctrinal pronouncements and interpretations of U.S. courts. Having a
look at the wide array of cases either decided for or against the side of religious
accommodation, the combined tension and sensitivity of dealing with the right to
freedom of religion is readily apparent. Thus, for an objective approach to be
possible, a broad perspective must be taken to arrive at understanding the legal
722
[VOL. 85
raison detre of the Churchs day of rest belief. In the final analysis the continuing
search for a legal solution of the Sabbath problem must be kept in mind.
A. UNITED STATES JURISPRUDENCE
The U.S. Supreme Court in numerous occasions has decided cases directly
dealing with the issue of freedom of religion and religious liberty. Owing to the
pluralistic libertarian brand that characterizes American society, these cases are
resolved under the guiding bastion of religious accommodation and tolerance of
freedom of choice and belief. Even though many aspects of the debate on
religious tolerance hinge on sensitive matters touching on an individuals core
beliefs, the ratio decidendi of such cases are hard put to public scrutiny. It also
ignites further debate on whether the State must remain secular or accommodating
to religious considerations, which comes as a recurring recognition of the tense
dynamic between secularism and religiosity.
One case stands out as the most applicable one to the Sabbath issue of
the SDA Church. It is still good law it sets the precedent for issues concerning
day of rest: the 1963 case of Sherbert v. Verner (Warren Court).37 What makes it even
more on all fours to the Adventist Churchs advocacy of the Sabbath is that the
appellant in Sherbert is herself a member of the SDA Church in the U.S. Thus the
cases very lis mota involves the invocation of Saturday as the Sabbath day of rest.
The U.S. Supreme Court through the pen of Justice Brennan can be said to have
already encountered, delved on, and resolved the issue of Sabbath-keeping as
juxtaposed to another competing right.
1. SHERBERT V. VERNER
Sherbert deals squarely on the right of SDAs to freely exercise their right to
observe Saturday as the Sabbath. In a nutshell, it involves an SDA members
application for unemployment compensation as a dismissed textile factory worker
because of labor regulatory measures imposed by her employer requiring her to
work on Saturday. The U.S. Supreme Court held that Sherberts right to freedom
of worship must be respected. Not reversed hitherto by the highest Court, this
37
374 U.S. 398 (1963).
2011]
723
case is the single most persuasive holding that will support SDA members cause
to invite due respect for their observance of the Saturday Sabbath.
It is crystal clear that the holding of the Court is categorical and direct in
favor of religious liberty. However, other parties apparently frowned upon the
liberal ruling. Specifically, advocates of secularism and of the non-establisment
guarantee took the holding as an affront to other civil liberties (e.g. employers
property right, as here) that so happened to conflict with a Sabbath-keepers right
to day of rest. Yet, the Sherbert ruling remains grounded on a sound rationale and
remains good law hitherto:
In the decades following Sherbert, free exercise jurisprudence
consisted largely of similar challenges, but in 1990, the Court reversed course
again and sharply restricted the scope of the clause's reach with respect to
laws of general applicability. In Employment Division v. Smith, the Court ruled
that the clause "does not relieve an individual of the obligation to comply
with a 'valid and neutral law of general applicability on the ground that the
law proscribes (or prescribes) conduct that his religion prescribes (or
proscribes)."' In so doing, the Court declined to overrule the prior cases
that had granted religious exemptions to general laws, instead
attempting to distinguish them on the ground that they had involved a type
of "hybrid situation" in which the free exercise right was combined with
some other constitutional claim.38 (Emphasis supplied, citations omitted)
This case has evolved since then without its normative moral force being
diluted. However, with regard to the transformation of Sherbert and its progeny,
and the concept of an individualized process for allocating governmental
benefits and burdens as being not generally applicable, Duncan contemplates a
possible problem in interpreting this landmark case. He argued that:
The transfigured Sherbert is best understood as creating a
categorical rule that takes a case out of the general rule of Smith and creates a
safe harbor for religious liberty when government adopts an individualized
process for allocating governmental burdens or benefits. An individualized
process is one in which government officials make an individualized . . .
assessment of the reasons for the relevant conduct and thus of a person's
38 Note, Harvard Law Review Association, The Best of a Bad Lot: Compromise and Hybrid Religious
Exemptions, 123 Harv. L. Rev. 1494, 1494-95 (2010). See footnote 1: The Court also distinguished Sherbert
and its progeny as having involved an existing mechanism for making individual exceptions, which the state
could not constitutionally use to grant exemptions for secular but not religious reasons.
724
[VOL. 85
eligibility for a government benefit or exemption from a governmental

burden.
In Sherbert, an otherwise eligible applicant for unemployment
compensation would be disqualified if he or she had failed without good
cause to accept suitable work. Thus, government officials reviewing
applications for unemployment benefits were required to decide in each
individual case whether an applicant's reasons for terminating or refusing
employment satisfied the good cause, suitability, or fault standards for
eligibility.
Religious liberty is particularly vulnerable under these kinds of ad
hoc, individualized schemes for allocating the ubiquitous burdens and
benefits of life in the modern Regulatory-Welfare State. As Chief Justice
Burger said about Thomas in his opinion in Bowen v. Roy, to consider a
religiously motivated resignation to be 'without good cause' tends to exhibit
hostility, not neutrality, towards religion. Moreover, ad hoc processes also
risk denominational discrimination, because subjective determinations may
be more likely to find good cause in familiar religions and fault in
unfamiliar or minority faiths.39 (Citations omitted)
As the SDA faith is well considered a religious minority, the

individualization of the process of allotting entitlements and benefits does violence
to the respect ought to be bestowed using the often overlooked rational
persuasiveness of Sherbert. As such, invoking the case must be guarded vigilantly
so that its true intendment and efficacy will be enjoyed in favor of religious
freedom, liberty, accommodation, and tolerance.
Another potential problem in assessing the legal and moral influence of
Sherbert touches on the notion of equal liberty and the problem of indeterminacy.
Lund explains his take on the case:
Sherbert is a core case for Equal Liberty Eisgruber and Sager
[arguing for the State of South Carolina] frequently return to it as a prime
example of what Equal Liberty requires. Sherbert involved a Seventh Day
Adventist who was fired for not working on Saturday, her Sabbath. South
Carolina prohibited workers from being fired for taking off Sundays, but
offered no protection to people whose Sabbath was Saturday. Eisgruber and
39 Richard Duncan, Free Exercise and Individualized Exemptions: Herein of Smith, Sherbert, Hogwarts, and
Religious Liberty, 83 NEB. L. REV. 1178, 1186-87 (2005).
2011]
725
Sager consistently treat Sherbert as a simple case of outright discrimination in

favor of Sunday observers and against Saturday observers, calling it "a classic
instance of a failure of equal regard" and "a paradigm of the failure of equal
regard." Of course, if Equal Liberty controls for size, then Sherbert should
have been a clear victory for South Carolina. After all, it is a simple fact that
there are far more Sunday observers than Saturday observers. Thus, if the
Sabbatarians are only entitled to the regard of an equivalently small
mainstream group, it makes perfect sense that South Carolina would still
choose to only accommodate Sunday observers-for the simple reason that
there are far more of them demanding accommodation. Clearly Eisgruber
and Sager did not intend for South Carolina to be able to defend their action
like this, and so it seems doubtful that Equal Liberty's counterfactual controls
for size in this way.
But ultimately, regardless of whether Equal Liberty controls for
size, it faces serious issues. If Equal Liberty does not control for size, its
circularity seems to ensure that no exemption will ever be denied. If Equal
Liberty does control for size, it means that the most attractive components
of the theory simply disappear. The purpose of the counterfactual inquiry is
to defend against the "substantial risk that governmental actors, even while
bearing no animus toward minority religious believers, will ignore,
undervalue, or implicitly denigrate their deep, religiously motivated
concerns." But if Equal Liberty only gives small religious groups the regard
given to other equivalently small groups, then it provides fairly little
protection at all against that risk.40 (Citations omitted)
Therefore, exemption in favor of a Sabbath observer can best be viewed

as a special protection in order for the right of day of rest to be appreciated fully.
This does not mean that all events and opportunities lie in favor of Sabbathkeepers, as may be apparent from a qualification of Equal Liberty and according
special protection to their right. It is rather the opposite: as a religious minority,
they are severely burdened to assert and convince public opinion that their belief is
sincere and wanting accommodation in our civic affairs. Likewise, the Church is
required to open a willing stance were their right to day of rest be accommodated.
It may be deemed open to remedial efforts so as to make up for whatever
consideration is due them, so long as they are able to observe their Sabbath. In so
doing, a quid pro quo approach is more realistic and egalitarian.
40 Christopher Lund, Exploring Free Exercise Doctrine: Equal Liberty and Religious Exemptions, 77 TENN. L.
REV. 351, 367-68 (2010).
726
[VOL. 85
The issue on the protection of the right to equal opportunity and

reasonable classification guarantees against discrimination now arises. As a
counter-argument to Sabbath-keepers right to day of rest, like unemployment
compensation in the case of Sherbert, those arguing against granting protection to
Sabbath-keeping posit that any discrimination implicit in affecting the right of a
believer to her day of rest is merely incidental and does not violate the equal
protection clause. A note on this sort of persuasion thus states:
Constitutional objections to a denial of benefits to sabbatarians have been
rather cursorily dismissed by the courts. In light of the Sunday Law Cases,
there would appear to be no interference with the free exercise of religion
claimant has not been forced to violate her sabbath. And while the Sunday
laws put sabbatarians to a choice between economic welfare and their
observances by the threat of criminal sanctions, the present claimant is
threatened with no more than the denial of temporary compensation seemingly a weaker case. Nor does her equal protection argument, that she is
denied benefits solely because she belongs to a minority religious group,
seem much stronger. So long as discrimination is merely incidental to a
legitimate legislative classification, and is not an easily avoidable
consequence, it should not be held a denial of equal protection. Limiting
unemployment compensation to those who are idle at least partially as the
result of the failure of the economy to furnish sufficient jobs would seem to
be a sufficiently reasonable classification to justify incidental discrimination
against sabbatarians41. (Citations omitted)
On its face, giving special protection to the Church would seem that there
is a violation of the well regarded right of equal protection. A deeper analysis of
the rationale and the nature of the purported exemption in their favor, however,
mitigates the unfounded fear of unbridled discrimination. In the first place there is
a fine distinction between the cause of the majority (society en masse) and the cause
of such religious minority (the Church). Protecting the majority remains the status
quo should there be no action and the law in question will not consider other
individuals of a different persuasion. What has to be proven if ever is why and
how a sincere and established religious minority that stands to be injured or
aggrieved were the law to be indiscriminately applied. Hence protecting and
41 Note, Harvard Law Review Association, Unemployment Compensation. Sabbatarian's Refusal of Saturday
Work Renders Him Unavailable for Work and Constitutes Failure to Accept Suitable Work without Good Cause. Sherbert
v. Verner (S. C. 1962), 76 HARV. L. REV. 4, 854, 857 (1963).
2011]
727
respecting the Churchs Sabbath and their right to day of rest will release the
burden off them, whilst the majority does not face any perceived disincentive to
distinguish the minoritys special case. The libertarian concept of fairness is not
compromised by giving special protection to a religious minority that stands to
suffer discrimination itself should hardly anything be ever done.
Even though other cases have not directly touched upon the Sabbath day
of rest being Saturday as did Sherbert, they also shed some considerable light on
Sabbath-keeping and how the law is taken to mean by U.S. courts. They provide
additional insight towards a better understand of the right to observe Sabbath. I
will now discuss other cases which can possibly enlighten issue on the Sabbaths
legal justification.
2. OTHER U.S. CASES ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
On a side note, the following cases may not directly (like Sherbert) address
an SDAs right to observe Saturday as day of rest. Still they add considerable force
and vigor to command respect and deference to allow Sabbath-keepers to worship
according to their religious conviction. In other words these cases highlight the
distinctive accord given to religious liberty and the courts recognition that
freedom of religion is a cherished right in our constitutional order. Again the
assumption is that the desired goal is to resolve the issue which if so will inure to
the benefit of a potentially aggrieved religious minority. Yet at the same time the
broad right of the majority neither to be discriminated against nor withheld equal
protection must not be compromised in the course of giving any special
protection.
a.
Minersville v. Gobitis42
Here, two children belonging to the Gobitis family were expelled from the
public schools of Minersville for refusing to salute the American flag during
regular school ceremonies. The Gobitiss family were members of the Jehovahs
Witnesses,43 a Christian sect which enjoins their members not to pledge allegiance
to anyone or anything other than their God. Ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court
42
43
310 U.S. 586 (1940).

They are also considered a religious minority worldwide, as do the SDA Church.
728
[VOL. 85
ruled in favor of Gobitis. Justice Frankfurter delivering the opinion of the Court
wrote: A society which is dedicated to the preservation of these ultimate values of
civilization may in self-protection utilize the educational process for inculcating
those almost unconscious feelings which bind men together in a comprehending
loyalty, whatever may be their lesser differences and difficulties. Thus, the
process may be utilized so long as men's right to believe as they please, to win
others to their way of belief, and their right to assemble in their chosen places of
worship for the devotional ceremonies of their faith, are all fully respected. Here
the Court upheld their right to religious liberty by not allowing state compulsory
education laws to incidentally trample upon their personal conscience.
On its jurisprudential value to the issue of the Sabbath, Gobitis adds to the
collective recognition of respecting a believers faith in keeping with the religious
freedom principle of the free exercise clause. Relating this ruling to a Sabbathkeepers right to day of rest, the act of refusing to salute the flag compares innately
similar to the act of refusing to work on a Saturday as the Sabbath day of rest.
Thus, Gobitis may be so interpreted to augment the persuasive force of the Sabbath
argument in favor of Sabbath-keepers.
b. Wisconsin v. Yoder44
In this case, members of the Amish religion were held liable for violating
Wisconsin's law requiring compulsory school attendance for children below 16.
They argued that their community provides informal vocational education to their
children in accordance with the Amish faith. In the end the U.S. Supreme Court
sustained their claim that the Wisconsin law violated their religious freedom rights.
The Court noted that enforcement of the compulsory education law would
gravely endanger if not destroy the free exercise of their religious beliefs.
Besides, the Amish had shown sincerity in following their religion. Thus it was
incumbent on the State to show with more particularity how its admittedly strong
interest in compulsory education would be adversely affected by granting an
exemption to the Amish. That it has the power as parens patriae to extend the
benefit of secondary education to children regardless of the wishes of their parents
cannot be sustained against a free exercise claim of the nature revealed.
44 406
U.S. 205 (1972).
2011]
729
This is another case held in favor of recognizing the legal rationale of the
right to observe Sabbath. The element of sincerity considered in favor of Yoder
can be used as a standard to see who the genuine and good-standing believers are.
It functions as a quality control mechanism that segregates the sincere from those
who may be perfunctorily professing their faith. It is conceded that religious
freedom, as any other right, becomes prone to abuse when there is no benchmark
used to determine who deserves to avail of the right. Applied to the issue of right
to day of rest, Sabbath-keepers have the burden to prove that they are sincere in
their belief by showing membership in good-standing and consistency in observing
the Sabbath ordinance. Thus it necessarily upgrades the quality of the sincere
members of the Church and gives a legitimizing factor to the right when it is
invoked before the courts and other offices.
c.
Lemon v. Kurtzman45
In Lemon, the U.S. Supreme Court considered two statutes by

Pennsylvania and Rhode Island which provided aid to religious (predominantly
Catholic) schools. School teachers were teaching secular, not religious, topics.
The Court held that providing direct aid to private religious schools violated the
Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by way of the Fourteenth
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The primary contribution of this case which
was used to strike down the school provision laws is what is now known as The
Lemon Test:
The Supreme Court unanimously found that providing direct aid to private
religious schools violated the Establishment Clause. By aggregating factors
considered in Engel and Walz, the Court fashioned a three-part test, now
commonly known as the Lemon test, to determine whether the government
has violated the Establishment Clause: "First, the statute must have a secular
legislative purpose second, its principal or primary effect must be one that
neither advances nor inhibits religion finally, the statute must not foster 'an
excessive government entanglement with religion."' If a government action
fails any of the three prongs, it is unconstitutional46. (Citations omitted)
403 U.S. 602 (1971).

Josh Blackman, This Lemon Comes as a Lemon: The Lemon Test and the Pursuit of a Statute's Secular Purpose,
20 GEO. MASON U. CIV. RTS. L.J. 351, 356 (2010).
45
46
730
[VOL. 85
To reiterate, the Lemon Test provides three conditions to determine

whether there is a violation of the non-establishment clause:
(1)
(2)
(3)
the law must have a secular legislative purpose

it must neither advance nor inhibit religion and
it must not foster excessive entanglement with religion.
Even though this case harps more on the establishment prong of the
religious freedom twin clauses, these conditions may also apply to the case of the
SDA Churchs right to the Sabbath. The point being is that principles on religious
liberty are all based on the primary consideration, simply put, that ones religion
must be respected in a way that is fair, equitable, and just. The Lemon test can be
used to assess a particular law or issuance which may affect a believers right to
observe Sabbath, say when an employment law requires her to work on a Saturday,
or a school policy mandates, without any due consideration to religious minorities,
a classroom session or an examination on a Saturday. The law may be deemed to
have a non-secular legislative purpose when the religious majority is favored and
the right to day of rest of a religious minority is denigrated. Equal opportunities
must be given to all, regardless of religious belief. Otherwise, having a sectarian
legislative purpose, which most often advances or inhibits religion and fosters its
excessive entanglement, will negate the accommodation sought after of those
needing it the most.
One may argue that the choice is made by the Sabbath-keeper, and that
no one forces the believer not to participate in a secular activity on a Saturday.
However, sincerity of belief, willingness to take alternatives which must preserve
the sanctity of the Sabbath, and the overall societal goodwill of allowing religious
minorities to pursue their moral convictions lean toward the accommodative
stance that the Church morally deserves. A proper standard by way of a reliable
test can be utilized to achieve the said purpose. Precisely giving special protection
by fiat of law to a sincere religious minority would fill in that perceived void in the
law.
d.
The U.S. Sunday Law Cases
There are a number of cases in the past where U.S. courts were faced with
the dilemma of whether they have to invalidate laws prohibiting any work on
2011]
731
Sunday, the traditional rest day of Roman Catholicism as the majority sect in the
Christian religion. These cases come into contact, often violent, with the Sabbath
of the SDA Church, which in contrast is Saturday. The contesting rights of
different days of rest of different Christian religions provide an interesting take on
how religious freedom clauses are applied in such contending moral-legal interests.
One particular instance was during the late 19th century when Sunday
Laws were strictly enforced much to the detriment of SDA believers. A specific
tussle with the enforcement of Sunday Laws was experienced by the family of
Ellen White. The fact of intolerance to and persecution of religious minorities at
that time was telling:
By the early 1880s some Americans had come to see Seventh-day Adventists
as problems in the drive to protect the Lords day [i.e., Sunday]. The
conflict began to heat up in 1882 when local California authorities arrested
W.C. White, the youngest son of James and Ellen, for operating the Pacific
Press on Sunday. By 1885 Adventists were being arrested in Arkansas, and by
1888 the problem had spread to Tennessee and other states. In the next few
years some Adventist ministers served on chain gangs with common
criminals. Their crime: Sunday desecration.47
I am morally convinced that that period must have been a difficult period
for the Church. But the members sincerity and resolve to assert their right had
withstood the test. How the U.S. Sunday Laws further enhanced their mettle to
deal with the law used against them is highly illustrative of the uncompromising
importance given to the Sabbath. These Sunday law cases, comparing American
and Canadian jurisdictions, have been analyzed in this wise:
A comparison of Robertson v. The Queen with the American Sunday
Closing Law Cases is striking not only because of the similarity of the results
in the cases, but also because of the similarity in doctrinal approach. One can
take the view that this unity in method and result indicates that American
constitutionalism is having a very great impact on the Supreme Court of
Canada. This impact would be remarkable in view of the great structural
differences in the constitutionalisms of the two countries. A more intriguing,
although unprovable, conclusion would be to say simply that, in an area such
as Sunday legislation, commonly shared social attitudes are more important
than constitutional principles.
47
GEORGE KNIGHT, A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS, 2ND ED. 87 (2004).
732
[VOL. 85
A further observation that can be drawn from this short study is

that judicial analysis in both countries rejects an interpretation conceding
religious motivation for Sunday legislation at the precise point at which
acceptance would require invalidation of the legislation. In Canada we are
told purpose and effect must be distinguished. The purpose of the Lord's
Day Act is concededly religious, but we are assured the effect is entirely
secular. In the United States, rejection of a theory of religious motivation
begins at an earlier stage and both purpose and effect are held to be
predominantly secular. The similarity in result reached suggests that the
prevailing judicial tests for measuring whether Sunday legislation offends
religious freedom are rather clearly expeditious.48
That the result for both jurisdictions came rather expeditiously shows that
even though the debate itself may be grueling, the values and social norms that
come into play are clear and unequivocal. By saying judicial analysis in both
countries rejects an interpretation conceding religious motivation for Sunday
legislation, Barron argues that having Sunday as the day of rest to be respected
denies invalidation. Even if religious motivation is discounted in the case of
Sunday Laws, that Saturday stands to be respected with a religious flavor does not
always mean that such interpretation of the law accommodates Sabbath-keeping
must be invalidated. The focus should be more on allowing the Sabbath-keeper to
avail of opportunities as a citizen, and incidentally being able to exercise her
religious profession. Such approach of religious liberty and accommodation will
be more advantageous in the long run when a religious minoritys view is
respected, which will necessarily trickle down to the majoritys benefit as well.
There is another cogent example of the legal struggle of the Church in the
past. In 1885 five Adventists were arrested in Arkansas. Convicted by the court,
they chose to accept jail terms instead of fines as a means of focusing public
attention on the situation.49 In 1886 an Adventist press began publishing a new
monthly, The American Sentinel, to champion the cause of religious liberty. In July
of 1889 Adventist leaders in Battle Creek founded the National Religious Liberty
Association. Despite such efforts, over the next ten years more than a hundred of
their fellow believers were to be prosecuted for violation of Sunday laws. At one
Jerome Barron, Sunday in North America, 79 HARV. L. REV. 1, 42 (1965).

I suppose this was a way for the early church to proselytize their belief. In any case, their motive
does not detract from the probity of their legal right to their conscience and their Sabbath.
48
49
2011]
733
point, eighteen Seventh-day Adventists served together at forced labor on a

Tennessee chain gang.50
Later on the U.S. Sunday laws were struck down for constitutional
infirmity under the First Amendment. The Church was redeemed of their right to
religious liberty. The believers were jailed for the sake of their tenacious stand for
their faith. In this scenario, one can readily see that a religious minority like the
SDA Church either continues to deal with the status quo, or worse its right to
observe the Sabbath may not be respected. It does not stand to gain from
invoking its right to day of rest. Thus it cannot be argued that any member of the
Church may invoke this right for her own convenience, pleasure, or whim.
Adding to the standard of requiring sincere belief, societal relations between the
state and the believer and private matters between an individual and a believer
cannot be considered as impaired or made troublesome with the respect accorded
to the Sabbath.
Later in this work, the doctrinal value of U.S. pronouncements in Sherbert
and other cases resolving religious issues can be used to assess the constitutionality
of an action affecting an SDAs right to day of rest. In the meantime, I will now
zero in on religious liberty cases in Philippine jurisdiction.
B. PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE
Similar to the U.S. jurisdiction, Philippine courts also had the opportunity
to deal with some cases on religious freedom. Albeit no case yet has reached the
Supreme Court directly tackling the issue on the right of a Seventh-day Adventist
to observe Saturday as their day of rest, the following cases can be provide a
profound contribution to the Sabbath issue. This must be considered in the light
of the guiding decisions that the U.S. has set as a persuasive legal basis that
Philippine courts may have chosen to follow.
U.P. Law Dean Raul Pangalangan has commented on the U.S. decisions
application to the local setting. He has aptly described the phenomenon as
transplanted constitutionalism in this wise:
50 Termed as Adventist Chain Gangs, many SDA members were persecuted for their observance of
Saturday as day of rest during the period when Sunday laws were imposed. See DAVE FIEDLER, HINDSIGHT:
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY IN ESSAYS AND EXTRACTS 90-91 (1996).
734
[VOL. 85
The Philippines borrowed American doctrine on the separation of Church

and State, and codified the Free Exercise and Establishment clauses into its
Constitution. Yet, this hundred-year old constitutional experiment has
yielded different results, because these doctrines, born out of a religiously
pluralistic community, were being applied to a nation that is predominantly
Roman Catholic, whose hierarchy has close ties to a feudal-minded elite, and
which historically has played a decisive role in its secular politics.51
Thus, one must consider such inherent difficulty of applying U.S. legal
principles to our setting. Having that in mind, the application of U.S. cases for the
purpose of guiding Philippine jurisprudence must be approached with this caveat.
Another possible issue on how the conflict between church and state is
approached by different jurisdictions like that of the U.S. and the Philippines is the
variation of values imbued in each society. Levine on this point concludes that:
Freedom of religion is a concept that has evolved in each nation to
reflect its particular cultural and societal ideals. Each nation's ideologies have
been tailored by the cultural model its citizens believe they can associate with.
Such ideologies have also developed based on the country's evolving
cultures. Laws regarding the freedom of religion are merely an organic
reflection of what the people of each country feels is most important to their
national identity.
Many in the United States strongly feel there should be a social
freedom and ideology that people should be able to hold and express their
own beliefs. Such a concept is not commonly shared by the people of foreign
nations. What must be noted is that there is no right or wrong one cannot
find answers for its nation within another culture, nor can one view another
nation's policies as flawed. Systems of government simply follow what is best
for their people, forming laws that fit snuggly into the nation's social schema.
51 Raul Pangalangan, Transplanted Constitutionalism: The Philippine Debate on the Secular State and the Rule of
Law, 82 P.L.J. 3, 1, 1 (2008)., citing The CIA World Factbook page on the Philippines, available at
https://www.cia.gov/cia/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp/html (last visited 1 May 2008).
The breakdown is as follows: Roman Catholic, 80.9 % Muslim, 5% Evangelical, 2.8% Iglesia ni Kristo,
2.3% Aglipayan, 2% other Christians, 4.5% (to which the SDA Church belongs) others, 1.8% unspecified,
0.6% none, 0.1%. This was based on a 2000 census which I last visited 1 April 2011. See also Florin Hilbay,
The Establishment Clause: An Anti-Establishment View, 82 P.L.J. 24, 25 (2008). At the moment, the Philippine
population in 2010 is estimated at 94 million.
2011]
735
Much like a religion, a government can function only if its people have faith
in its laws.52
Having considered these limitations in cross-border application of judicial

pronouncements and principles set by case law, still some landmark Philippine
cases can help in the endeavor to find the legal justification recognizing the
Sabbath as day of rest. While I discuss the cases, I will also intersperse my
reflection on how these cases made an impact to the Sabbath issue at hand.
1. Estrada v. Escritor53
This is an administrative case where an employee of a Regional Trial
Court of Las Pias City was charged for immorality, a ground to dismiss a
government employee. She cohabited and bore a child from someone not her
legal husband. She invoked her membership in the Jehovahs Witnesses
denomination. She reasoned that her behavior did not violate her religious beliefs
when she had executed a document called Declaration of Pledging Faithfulness
where she can enter into a relationship as if she was married.
The Philippine Supreme Court through then Chief Justice Reynato Puno
as ponente ruled that since she was a sincere member of their denomination, and it
is not considered immoral to engage in their marital arrangement, the
administrative charge was dismissed. The theory of benevolent neutrality
allowed those following their religious conviction to carve an exception from legal
injunctions and policies. The Court noted that [r]ecognizing the religious nature
of the Filipinos and the elevating influence of religion in society, however, the
Philippine constitution's religion clauses prescribe not a strict but a benevolent
neutrality. Benevolent neutrality recognizes that government must pursue its
secular goals and interests but at the same time strive to uphold religious liberty to
the greatest extent possible within flexible constitutional limits.
In this case, the case was remanded to the Office of the Court
Administrator, and the Solicitor General was ordered to intervene to:
52 Mark Levine, The Modern Crusade: An Investigation of the International Conflict Between Church and State, 40
CAL. W. INT'L L.J. 33, 53-54 (2009).
53 A.M. No. P-02-1651, August 4, 2003. Resolution on June 22, 2006.
736
[VOL. 85
(a)
Examine the sincerity and centrality of respondents claimed
religious belief and practice
(b)
Present evidence on the states compelling interest to override
respondents religious belief and practice and
(c)
Show that the means the state adopts in pursuing its interest is the
least restrictive to respondents religious freedom.
However, upon a motion for reconsideration, the right to religious

freedom of the woman was upheld by using the doctrine of benevolent
neutrality as its basis.54 This case has been consistently viewed as the single case
that heavily favors religious freedom and liberty. The Court has carved out an
accommodative exception in favor of the woman who professed her sincere belief.
Thus such approach can be used in giving due respect to doing work, study, or
play during Saturday in the case of Seventh-day Adventists. Their right to observe
their day of rest can be seen as a sincere observation of their belief. And these
concessions were proven to be legally justifiable by jurisprudential fiat of the
Philippine Supreme Court.
2. Gerona v. Secretary of Education55
This is the counterpart of the Gobitis case in the U.S., as localized in the
Philippines. Students who were members of the Jehovahs Witnesses sect refused
to salute the flag, sing the national anthem, and recite the patriotic pledge in
contradiction to an order of the Department of Education. The Philippine
Supreme Court ruled against Gerona, ratiocinating that: After all, the
determination of whether a certain ritual is or is not a religious ceremony must rest
with the courts. It cannot be left to a religious group or sect, much less to a
follower of said group or sect. The Court noted that were it to be ruled
otherwise, there would be confusion and misunderstanding for there might be as
many interpretations and meaning to be given to a certain ritual or ceremony as
there are religious groups or sects or followers, all depending upon the meaning
which they, though in all sincerity and good faith, may want to give to such ritual
or ceremony. The Court also found that there was nothing objectionable, even
54 JOAQUIN BERNAS, THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES: A

COMMENTARY 345 (2009).
55 106 Phil. 2 (1959).
2011]
737
from a religious point of view, of saluting the flag, singing the anthem, or reciting
the pledge.
However, the distinguished constitutionalist Father Bernas took some
points of exception from this case. He noted that:
but what made the compulsion objectionable was the fact that it touched
upon conscience. It was a question of weighing freedom of conscience
against the dubious patriotic value of a compulsory flag ceremony.And
when the flag salute is made a test for determining whether a child has a right
to enjoy the benefit of a free public education, the question that must be
answered is whether the test is legitimate. The Court defends the legitimacy
of the test by saying that it is not a religious test because flag ceremony is a
purely civic ceremony. Thus, the argument goes back to whether the Court is
competent to decide whether a given ceremony is religious or not. If it is
competent, what norm may the Court use and who will determine the
norm?56
The ruling of the Supreme Court may be deemed on its face

disadvantageous to the cause of religious liberty. However, as Bernas had ably
pointed out, the Court may have possibly arrogated to its jurisdiction the
competence to determine what is religious and what is not. That the State must be
secularist is not an all-encompassing principle which then does violence to certain
valid principles underlying religious freedom. How the Court should have decided
was through the use of the lens of the believer, the sincere individual, whose
conscience was at issue. The overall effect to the larger society must also be
considered, but not to the far extent of trampling religious minority rights merely
because they comprise a lesser number in society.
3. Ebralinag v. Division Superintendent of Schools of Cebu57
The proponents of religious liberty did not have to wait long for their
movement to be vindicated. The Court in this case reversed Gerona, and upheld
the right to freedom of religious worship and profession by allowing them to
refuse saluting the Philippine flag. Here the Supreme Court held (and rightly so)
that: upholding religious freedom as a fundamental right deserving the highest
56
738
[VOL. 85
priority and amplest protection among human rights, this Courtre-examined

our over two decades-old decision in Gerona and reversed expulsion orders made
by the public respondents therein as violative of both the free exercise of religion
clause and the right of citizens to education under the 1987 Constitution. The
highest Court ruled that freedom of religion requires that protesting members be
exempted from the operation of the law.58 Accordingly, such exemption is a
hallmark of accommodation that the Court further observed:
The responsibility of inculcating the values of patriotism, nationalism, good
citizenship, and moral uprightness is a responsibility shared by the State with
parents and other societal institutions such as religious sects and
denominations. The manner in which such values are demonstrated in a
plural society occurs in ways so variable that government cannot make claims
to the exclusivity of its methods of inculcating patriotism so allencompassing in scope as to leave no room for appropriate parental or
religious influences. Provided that those influences do not pose a clear and
present danger of a substantive evil to society and its institutions, expressions
of diverse beliefs, no matter how upsetting they may seem to the majority,
are the price we pay for the freedoms we enjoy.
It must be noted that this decision is still good law as of the time of this
writing.
At the end of the day, I argue that the interplay of these cases towards a
theme on religious liberty leans in favor of giving respect to the right to freedom
of religion. The substantial arguments favoring the established superiority of
religious liberty in the hierarchy of constitutional values are more sound and
sustainable in a democratic, freedom-loving society which embraces and
accommodates its minority. Yet the U.S. and Philippine cases consistently show
that the welfare of the majority and the secularist interest of the public must be
factored in to come up with a reasonable resolution of competing constitutional
rights. Thus courts are hard pressed to balance the often secular rights (like
property interests) of the majority and the religious liberty rights of the minority
(like the Sabbath imperative of the SDA Church). Decisions on religious freedom
must seek the harmonization of various, often competing, particularistic legal
interests. I will now proceed to tackle some issues that straddle the debate on
religious liberty.
57
58
219 SCRA 256 (1993).

2011]
739
V. EMERGING ISSUES: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN COMPETING

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
Now that the U.S. and Philippine cases on religious freedom have
established the principle to be used in acknowledging and respecting the Churchs
right to observe Saturday as day of rest, the complex issues to be resolved should
then be capable of reasonable (rather than merely religious-cum-moral) resolution.
Between the right to religious freedom of SDAs in observing Sabbath and the right
of employers to property, educational institutions to academic freedom, and the
state to police power, relevant constitutional laws must be juxtaposed so as to
harmonize these contesting constitutionally guaranteed rights. For the purpose of
emphasis, they are as follows:
Article II- Declaration of State Policies and Principles
Section 6. The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.
Section 11. The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full
respect for human rights.
Section 17. The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts,
culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and
promote total human liberation and development.
Article III- Bill of Rights
Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process
of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.
Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and
worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious
test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.
With such fundamental legal precepts refreshed in mind, the question

now is: when is an action, either by a public or a private party, considered
constitutional in the face of a potential conflict with an SDAs right to observe the
Sabbath as their day of rest? The plausible answer can only come from a delicate
balancing act:
Thus, the judicial task in free exercise cases is one of balancing the secular
interest of the state with the interest of religion. How is this balancing act to
740
[VOL. 85
be performed? On the basis of an analysis of existing cases, one author

suggests a formula: A thorough-going balancing test would measure three
elements of the competing governmental interest: first, the importance of the
secular value underlying the governmental regulation second, the degree of
proximity and necessity that the chosen regulatory means bear to the
underlying value and third, the impact that an exemption for religious
reasons would have on the over-all regulatory program. This assessment of
the states interest would have to be balanced against the claim for religious
liberty, which would require calculation of two factors: first, the sincerity and
importance of the religious practice for which special protection is claimed
and second, the degree to which the governmental regulation interferes with
that practice.59
As can be gleaned in the cases of Gerona and Ebralinag in the foregoing

discussion, what the cases do illustrate is that there is a need for a delicate
balancing of legitimate interest of the state in the education of the young and the
equally legitimate interest of parents in the religious upbringing of their
children.60 Thus as earlier stated there is a need to balance state and individual
interests so as to afford the proper respect to relevant public and private rights and
obligations. Now when is an action deemed constitutionally valid?
A. YARDSTICK FOR TESTING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF AN ACTION
To measure whether or not a particular law, policy, or measure meets the
constitutional demands to protect and respect religious freedom in general and
right to day of rest in particular, one has to consider the two specific aspects of
religious liberty:
(a) Right to believe, which is absolute, and
(b) Right to act according to ones beliefs, which is subject to regulation.61
The case of Estrada v. Escritor as discussed above gives a very important

standard implicit in what is termed the compelling State interest test:
59 Supra note 77, at 331, citing Gianella, Religious Liberty, Non-establishment, and Doctrinal Development: Part I,
The Religious Liberty Guarantee, 80 HARV. L. REV. 1381, 1390 (1967).
60 Id., at 343.
61 ANTONIO NACHURA, OUTLINE REVIEWER IN POLITICAL LAW 162 (2009).
2011]
741
Recognizing the religious nature of the Filipinos and the elevating influence
of religion in society, the constitutions religion clauses prescribe not a strict
but a benevolent neutrality. Benevolent neutrality recognizes that
government must pursue its secular goals and interests, but at the same time,
strive to uphold religious liberty to the greatest extent possible within flexible
constitutional limits. Thus, although the morality contemplated by laws is
secular, benevolent neutrality could allow for accommodation of morality
based on religion, provided it does not offend compelling state interest. In
applying the test, the first inquiry is whether respondents right to
religious freedom has been burdened. There is no doubt that between
keeping her employment and abandoning her religious belief and practice
and family on the one hand, and giving up her employment and keeping her
religious belief and practice and family on the other, puts a burden on her
free exercise of religion. The second step is to ascertain respondents
sincerity in her religious belief. Respondent appears to be sincere in her
religious belief and practice, and is not merely using the Declaration of
Pledging Faithfulness to avoid punishment for immorality.62 (Emphases
supplied)
Thus, the constitutional test for state action is two-fold:

1. Whether right to religious freedom is burdened, and
2. Whether sincerity in religious belief is ascertained.
The above rationale for challenging state action for being violative of the
free exercise clause also applies to the case of a Seventh-day Adventist, that is,
whether the right to observe the Sabbath is burdened, and whether sincerity in
such belief is ascertained. Applied accordingly, the first inquiry is: was the right to
observe Sabbath violated? The second inquiry follows: was the one invoking the
observance of the Sabbath sincere in her belief? If the answer for both these
questions are in the affirmative, then the compelling state interest test requires that
such action be invalidated. The test aptly gives due respect to the cherished
religious liberty which the courts should act as a sentinel providing special
protection.
Such test that was used to determine the constitutional validity of any
state action has also been discussed in the case of Iglesia ni Kristo v. Gironella.63 This
62
63

106 SCRA 1 (1981).
742
[VOL. 85
involves the actuation of a judge who referred to the business of the members of
the petitioners as gimmickry. The Court admonished the respondent judge for
violating the free exercise clause of the members of the Iglesia. The Court went
further: Freedom of religion implies respect for every creed. No one, much less a
public official, is privileged to characterize the actuation of its adherents in a
derogatory sense. Another case, Iglesia ni Kristo v. Court of Appeals64, concerned the
ban by the Board of Review for Moving Pictures and Television on the ground
that the Iglesias television program attacks and discredits other religions which was
expressly prohibited by law. The Supreme Court gave a guideline for testing State
action whether they are constitutional or not, which states the standard for police
power of the State:
The Court iterates the rule that the exercise of religious freedom can be
regulated by the State when it will bring about the clear and present danger
of some substantive evil which the State is duty bound to prevent, i.e. serious
detriment to the more overriding interest of public health, public morals, or
public welfare. For sure, we shall continue to subject any act pinching the
space for the free exercise of religion to a heightened scrutiny but we shall
not leave its rational exercise to the irrationality of man. For when religion
divides and its exercise destroys, the State should not stand still.65
To extend the argument further, I also argue that the test for state acts
may also be applied by analogy to private actions since the object of protection is
not associated with the doer of the act, but more of the receiver of the protection.
In other words, the rights of SDA members are the focal point of concern.
However, the guarantees in the Bill of Rights can be invoked primarily against the
State. Only when private actors do so as agents of the government can the
protection of rights be used as a test to validate private action using state
constitutional tests.
B. THE STATE'S PLENARY POLICE POWER VS. THE CHURCH'S
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
The State possesses the monopoly to exercise police power, the most
essential of sovereign functions. Police power has been defined as the power of
64
65
G.R. No. 119673, July 26, 1996.

See supra note 77, at 338.
2011]
743
promoting public welfare by restraining and regulating the use of liberty and
property. [It is] the most pervasive, the least limitable, and the most demanding of
the three [fundamental] powers, [together with eminent domain and taxation].66
A case in point is People v. Fabillar67which involved a law granting the
power to the Director of the National Library to assess and decide whether or not
a particular belief of an applicant for a license to solemnize a marriage operates
within Philippine jurisdiction and is in good repute. It was challenged as
violative of the free exercise of religion as it gives a blanket authority to the
Director to determine who will be granted a license based on religious grounds.
Bernas notes in this case, considering the States inherent police power, that the
Court defended the statute as merely an instance of the exercise of police power.
The power given by the statute, according to the Court, was not a power to inquire
into the organization or doctrine of a particular religion but merely a power to
distinguish between legitimate religions and mere marriage agencies posing as
religion and exploiting the public. However, he goes on to give a concession with
regard to good repute as the standard used: With such a vague standard, it is so
easy for a bureaucratic functionary to measure good reputation in terms of locally
accepted standards of religious orthodoxy.68
However, like all powers, police power is subject to limitations. The tests
for valid exercise involve: (a) lawful subject (or the public interest in general, and
not of that of a particular class), and (b) lawful means (such as reasonably
necessary to accomplish the public purpose, and not unduly oppressive).69 As
such, when the state justifies not granting a member of the SDA Church the
protection of her religious right to Free Exercise, it may not be rationalized under
means that are lawful as necessarily, it will impinge or oppress unduly the rights of
the SDA faithful. Police power must give way to the religious freedom concerns
of SDAs who are sincere in their belief, and the exercise of observing their rest day
does not run counter to the States duty to promote general welfare.

68 Phil. 584 (1939).
68 Supra note 77, at 334.
69 Id. at 51-52.
66
67
744
[VOL. 85
C. LABOR ISSUE: THE STANDARD OF UNDUE HARDSHIP TO THE EMPLOYER

With regard to any issue on employment, say when an SDA member is
forced to require by a company policy or a particular labor law, Birnbach makes
this conclusion:
Accommodation of a religious employee requires a balancing of
interests.[C]ourts often inject the interests of the religious employee's
coworkers into the balance. Although it is understandable thatcourts are
uneasy about allowing a religious employee to be accommodated at the
expense of her coworkers, incorporating notions of fairness has led to
uncertainty of expectations about what sorts of accommodations are
required. Therefore, it seems beneficial to employ an adjudicative framework
that takes into account severe discriminatory treatment on coworkers yet still
provides adequate protection for the religious observer's needs. It may be
argued that this framework obviates any protection from serious, although
not severe, discriminatory treatment for the nonreligious employee.
Differential treatment of religion-observing employees not only affords them
equal access to employment but also encourages integration and interaction
between religious groups in the workplace, a value that should be paramount
in our religiously diverse society.70
On the same point, Lupu comments in this wise:

[The] free exercise clause, as construed by courts for the past
quarter-century, has imposed a stringent requirement of justification upon
the state for harm that it inflicts upon religiously motivated action. As the law
now stands, a prima facie case of a violation of the clause exists whenever
government policy creates a burden on a sincerely held religious
conviction. If such a case is made, the government will prevail only if it
proves that a favorable response to these claims and others like them would
substantially undermine government interests of unusual importance. This
constitutional standard can be quite protective of religion, although courts
have not always employed the standard with full rigor.
One question upon which little attention has been focused,
however, is the character of government activity necessary to constitute a
burden. Before courts ever reach the rigorous standard of review
70 Rachel Birnbach, Love Thy Neighbor: Should Religious Accommodations that Negatively Affect Coworkers' Shift
Preferences Constitute an Undue Hardship on The Employer Under Title VII?, 78 FORDHAM L. REV. 1331, 1377
(2009).
2011]
745
appropriate to free exercise cases, they must be satisfied that the harm
complained of falls within the boundaries of the clause. These boundaries
could be constructed quite narrowly for example, the ambit of the clause
might be limited to criminal prohibitions on actions required by religious
belief, and government-created compulsions to take actions forbidden by
religious norms. At the other extreme, the scope of free exercise could be
understood in the broadest possible sense, encompassing any government
action that increases the expense, discomfort, or difficulty of religious life.
Deciding what constitutes a burden on the free exercise of religionthat is,
deciding where rights under the clause beginwill inevitably have profound
consequences for other aspects of free exercise doctrine, and thus for the
regime of religious liberty itself.71
Therefore, in the workplace, differential treatment in favor of religious

minorities (according to Birnbach) will be reconsidered if and only if there is
undue hardship on the employer. Any degree less than undue on the part of the
employer must be held to be interpreted as construed in favor of the SDA worker.
Likewise, as Lupu aptly remarks, there is a prima facie evidence of a constitutional
violation of religious freedom rights when a burden is imposed on the sincere right
to observe Saturday as day of rest. This means it is incumbent upon the employer
to prove that such burden is not undue and the SDA worker continues to enjoy
her right to day of rest despite the facially infringing company policy.
Actually, one government agency has taken a huge stride in
accommodating the Sabbath belief of SDA members. The Church welcomes the
issuance of Department Order No. 3, Series 2010 of the Department of Education
(DepEd), entitled Respecting the Constitutional Right of Deped Personnel to
Free Exercise of Religion. Signed by Secretary Jesli A. Lapus on 8 January 2010,
it advises undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, bureau directors, and all other
DepEd personnel to ensure that such constitutional rights of DepEd personnel
are respected in the course of the regular operations of the Department.
Instrumental to the issuance of this administrative order is Representative Daryl
Grace J. Abayon.72
71 Ira Lupu, Where Rights Begin: The Problem of Burdens on the Free Exercise of Religion, 102 HARV. L. REV.
933, 933-35 (1989).
72 Partylist Representative, Aangat Tayo. She is also a member of the SDA Church. As of this writing,
she carries on the legacy of fighting for religious liberty in the Philippine public sphere, together with her
husband, former Congressman Harlin C. Abayon.
746
[VOL. 85
The said department order is categorical in providing an accommodative

stance to Seventh-day Adventist employees of DepEd. It expressly provides that:
specifically, in the case of DepEd personnel belonging to the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, they should not be required to attend seminars, examinations,
trainings and other professional development activities held on Saturdays since
that day is their Day of Rest or Church Day in accordance with their religious
beliefs.
Aside from an executive orders sound justification for the Sabbaths legal
basis, employee rights can likewise be justified by the nature of the employeremployee relationship as a contractual tie which is imbued with public interest
thus, subject to the concomitant impact of other societal interests, like religion.73
Religious conviction can actually be a justifiable basis for classification for special
treatment.74 In the case of Victoriano v. Elizalde Rope Workers Union75, the issue
centers on a law which removes within the coverage of the closed shop agreement
any employee who belongs to any religious denomination with a belief prohibiting
membership in any labor union. A succinct summary of the Courts disposition is
below:
It may not be amiss to point out here that the free exercise of religious
profession or belief is superior to contract rights. In case of conflict,
therefore, the latter must yield to the former. Religious freedom,
although not unlimited, is a fundamental personal right and liberty, and has a
preferred position in the hierarchy of values. Contractual rights,
therefore, must yield to freedom of religion. It is only where unavoidably
necessary to prevent an immediate and grave danger to security and welfare
of the community that infringement of religious freedom may be justified,
and only to the smallest extent necessary to avoid the danger. (Emphases
supplied)76
Such preference accorded to freedom of religion adds to the

normative value that the Sabbath may be grounded on. The SDA Churchs
persuasion to argue that Saturday is a constitutionally and statutorily
73 The New Civil Code of the Philippines provides in art. 1700: The relation between capital and labor
are not merely contractual. They are so impressed with public interest that labor contracts must yield to the
common good x x x
75 59 SCRA 54 (1974).
2011]
747
defensible position as exhibited in the field of employment. Now, I will

tackle the issue in the light of another contentious area: the dynamic between
religion and academic freedom.
D. ACADEMIC ISSUE: INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY VIS--VIS RELIGIOUS
TOLERANCE
Students, especially of tertiary level, belonging to the SDA Church often
face problems on taking classes or examinations on Saturday. Sometimes there are
students who are forced to take them, in violation of their religious beliefs, so that
they may continue in school or graduate.
To redress the perennial debacle, one good example is the law sponsored
by former Representative Harlin C. Abayon (First District, Northern Samar, 12th
Philippine Congress) made possible also through his joint effort with Bienvenido
V. Tejano, another prominent Adventist statesman.77 This is found in Republic
Act No. 8981, or the Professional Regulation Commission Modernization Act of
2000 signed by former President Joseph E. Estrada on 5 December 2000.
Section 7 of the said law on the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the
Commission, provides an accommodative administration of professional
examinations for Sabbath-keepers, in this wise:
(d) To administer and conduct the licensure examinations of the various
regulatory boards in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated
by the Commission determine and fix the places and dates of examinations
use publicly or privately owned buildings and facilities for examination
purposes conduct more than one (1) licensure examination: Provided, That,
when there are two (2) or more examinations given in a year, at least
one (1) examinations shall be held on weekdays (Monday to
Friday): Provided, further, That, if only one (1) examination is given in
a year, this shall be held only on weekdays. x x x (Emphasis supplied)
The law thus mandates that professional licensure examinations

conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) are to be offered on
a non-Saturday. If two examinations are offered in a year, one of which must be
77 Congressman Abayon is also an active member of the SDA Church and a staunch advocate of
religious liberty, especially with regard to according respect to the right of observing a holy day of rest, in the
Philippine legislature.
748
[VOL. 85
given on a non-Saturday. In so doing, SDAs will have the chance to take the
licensure examinations in a year. This shows a good degree of favorable
accommodation to the right of religious freedom and worship of SDAs in the
country.
Many members of the SDA Church had not been able to take
examinations in the past because there are instances when it is only given during
Saturdays (e.g. the Certified Public Accountant professional examinations).
Sometimes, due to the genuine sincerity of their belief, they have to wait for years
for an opportune timing when an examination does not fall on their Sabbath.
Thus, Adventists had been denied the opportunity to take it despite their avowed
and sincere belief to day of rest. With the passage of the accommodative law, its
members can now have at least the opportunity to take professional licensure
examinations, and integrate into meaningful endeavors of social participation.
Actually, the DepEd order as mentioned above giving due respect to the
Sabbath belief of SDA workers in the department was also extended to students.
Department Order No. 105, Series 2010 of the Department of Education entitled
Reiterating the Constitutional Right of Deped Personnel and Students to Free
Exercise of Religion. (Emphasis mine) Issued by the new Department of
Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro (FSC) on 14 October 2010, it mandates
undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, bureau directors, and other DepEd
personnel to respect the right of a man to worship God in his own view [as]
guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under article II, 5 of the 1987 Constitution.
The department order further notes that:
[I]n some public elementary and secondary schools, there is a practice of
conducting special or make-up classes for the suspension of class during
typhoons or for any other reasons every Saturday for a particular duration of
time. Hence, there are some complaints of discrimination and noncompliance with the provisions of DepEd Memorandum No. 3, s. 2010 in
relation to the exercise of the right to religious worship by teachers.
Likewise, there are complaints that said DepEd Memorandum excludes
affected students from its coverage.
Accordingly, by virtue of the said Order, all concerned are hereby

informed and advised of the following:
2011]
749
a.
DepEd personnel and students belonging to any religious group,

where Saturday is their day of rest or church day, should not be required to
attend seminars, examinations, special classes, trainings and other school
activities on Saturdays
b.
There should be no diminution or deduction in the salaries

(in the case of teachers) or no effect in the grades (in the case of
students) for those teachers and students who incur absences on
Saturdays due to the exercise of their right to religious worship and
c.
An arrangement should be made by the concerned

teacher/personnel with the school head for the performance of functions or
by the concerned students with the teacher for the completion of school
requirements, without prejudice to their right to free exercise of religion.
(Emphasis supplied)
There is another positive development in favor of respecting the day of

rest of students within Philippine jurisdiction. Hon. Patricia B. Licuanan,
Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has issued on 15
November 2010 a commission-wide memorandum on the subject of remedial
work for teachers, personnel and students to be excused due to compliance with
religious obligations. The express accommodation can be readily gleaned from
the clear wording of the issuance, as below:
Our fundamental Law explicitly provides under Section 5 of the
Bill of Rights that The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession
and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed.
In this regard, the Commission is obligated to ensure that all higher
education institutions (HEI) render proper respect and compliance to this
constitutional right, while at the same time acknowledging the exercise of
their academic freedom also guaranteed under the Constitution.
The Commission therefore clarifies that in implementing the
aforementioned policy, HEIs shall be enjoined to: (1) excuse students from
attendance/participation in school or related activities if such
schedule conflicts with the exercise of their religious obligations, and
(2) allow faculty, personnel and staff to forego attendance during
academic and related work and activities scheduled on days which
would conflict with the exercise of their religious freedom. Instead, the
affected students, faculty, personnel and staff may be allowed to do
750
[VOL. 85
remedial work to compensate for absences, within the bounds of school

rules and regulations without their grades being affected, or with no
diminution in their salaries or leave credits or performance
evaluation/assessment, provided they submit a certification or proof of
attendance/participation duly signed by their pastor, priest, minister or
religious leader for periods of absence from classes, work or school activities.
(Emphases supplied)
It is hoped that other government agencies will follow suit, towards an

enhanced protection of the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom for the
SDA Church. For example, the University of the Philippines as a non-sectarian,
public educational institution, often the ground zero where human liberties are
expressed and sought, can follow the model set by the CHED in according due
respect to the religious freedom of Seventh-day Adventists.
The academe can well be a fertile soil for the Sabbath issue to be
entertained, threshed out, and resolved. A proactive statement and pertinent
political participation of the Church continue to be indispensable in bringing about
true change to the societal majoritys view on religion, especially with regard to an
oft-misunderstood issue of the Sabbath.
So far, the issues that were presented would reach no other conclusion
but to allow SDAs the right to their day of rest. Of course, the interests of the
State in exercising police power, of employers to property and reasonable returns,
and of schools to academic freedom, must in all cases be considered. But in the
light of the naturally burdensome impact of any action against an SDAs right to
day of rest, all quarters must be taken to accommodate and respect such right.
Such special protection is given recognition by law and jurisprudence, in the U.S.
and in the Philippines. The remaining challenge then is to how to go about
implementing this special form of protection of the day of rest right.
2011]
751
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS: THE IMPERATIVE TO BALANCE SECULAR AND

RELIGIOUS INTERESTS
A. THE IMPERATIVE FOR RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE AND LIBERTY
Thomas Jefferson, an astute political philosopher on church and state,
aptly used the metaphor of wall of separation between Church and State.78
In our view, the idea that you must be able to define religion in order to
defend religious liberty rests on a mistaken understanding of religious
freedom, and more narrowly, of the normative thrust of the Religion Clauses
of the Constitution. We have argued elsewhere that their purpose is not to
protect religion per se, but to protect Americans from a certain kind of
governmental malfeasance that proceeds against the backdrop of a religious
and religiously diverse society. In a religiously diverse society, government
can find itself captive of a perspective that encourages it--out of hostility,
indifference, or misunderstanding--to take action that unjustly prefers or
disfavors some persons, viewpoints, identities, or practices. What is critical
from the vantage of religious freedom is not that religion or religiosity be the
victim of this injustice, but rather that it is the cultural and political
ramifications of religious diversity and governmental capture that give rise to
the injustice.79. (Citations omitted)
Applying the principle of Jeffersons take on religious liberty, diversity,

and justice, there must be a proper forum to accommodate requests for exemption
on Saturdays by SDAs who have shown sincerity in their religious beliefs. One
possible option is to establish an office catering to religious liberty concerns. This
approach may be multi-sectoral. For example, employees who have a problem
with such may air their grievance at a desk instituted in the Department of Labor
and Employment. For students, an office in the Department of Education may
serve the same function. For other administrative agencies, the Office of the
President may include a desk to handle these matters. When such concerns are
accommodated, the right to religious freedom and worship of SDAs are given
sufficient protection.
78 For an extensive discussion on the use of metaphors to describe the divide between religious and
governmental affairs, see Julie Oseid, The Power of Metaphor: Thomas Jefferson's "Wall of Separation between Church
& State, 7 J. ASS'N LEGAL WRITING DIRECTORS, 123 (2010).
79 Christopher Eisgruber, Does It Matter What Religion Is?, 84 NOTRE DAME L. REV. 807, 811 (2009).
752
[VOL. 85
B. INSERTING PROVISOS IN LEGISLATION FOR ACCOMMODATION

Providing a clause in national and local legislation where the consideration
of SDAs is pertinent would be welcome. This does not mean that the NonEstablishment Clause guarantee would be violated because lawmakers intend to
protect a particular religious belief. The balance between Free Exercise and NonEstablishment is not compromised by providing a security measure that would
protect the right of SDAs potentially prone to violation by unscrupulous
employers and school administrators. Thus, there is an apparent danger that
without the proposed clause, SDAs stand to suffer and limit the exercise of their
sincere beliefs. Besides, it would be invoked only if need be. Once a law has been
passed addressing the matter, legal problems on the Sabbath can be decided by our
courts of justice with dispatch and probity.
The SDA Church is not alien to the advancement of the civil rights
movement and to lobby for religious freedom. London notes that mixed forces
motivated someAdventists to participate in civil rights politics. These
determinants included community awareness or community-oriented
consciousness the example of early Adventist founders and pioneers liberationist
interpretations of the Bible as well as intellectual and theological justifications.80
Dudley gives this observation regarding the SDA Churchs defense of their rights:
To summarize, more orthodox Adventists are more likely to be conservative
politically except when factors of religious liberty, pacifism, and ethnic
experience lead them to believe that liberal political positions are more in
harmony with their faith or personal interests. Indeed, a recurring theme in
this entire study is that the Adventist involvement in the political arena is
selective and that such selectivity is based on what seems to be the church's
best interests.81
Meanwhile, Kaupner posits the notion that [s]cripture makes it clear that
Gods people have an obligation to pursue justice. As such, churches and
[a]dherents of particular faiths and individual churches frequently take strong
positions on public issues includingvigorous advocacy of legal and constitutional
80
(2009).
SAMUEL LONDON, JR., SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT 154-55
2011]
753
positions. Of course, churches as much as secular bodies and private citizens have
that right.82 He continues to opine that [s]cripture, American history, the
principle of separation of church and state, and decisions by the United States
Supreme Court do not bar religious groups from pressing their views on moral
issues that have become political issues.83 Therefore, the members of the
Church, particularly those with considerable clout in the political arena, are better
off with lobbying for a declarative legislation that directly gives due respect to the
observance of Saturday as their day of rest. That its followers find morally sound
to seek elective positions in order to advance their position belongs to an entirely
different politico-religious issue that can be discussed lengthily in another work.
C. POSSIBLE AREAS FOR COMPROMISE
Probably the best way to arrive at a plausible solution for both
diametrically positioned parties is compromise. Lawson gave an interesting insight
on the SDA Churchs openness for discussion and compromise:
Jehovah's Witnesses have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to
principle and to their radical apocalyptic throughout their history. This
commitment was bolstered by their organizational isolation, intense
indoctrination of converts, rigid internal discipline, and considerable
persecution. Seventh-day Adventists, on the other hand, have shown
considerable willingness to compromise their positions whenever external
threats or opportunities to gain acceptance have made this auspicious. Their
expediency is correlated with their greater ideological diversity and
organizational openness and their diminishing concern for indoctrinating
converts. These flowed from their experience of upward mobility, which led
them to relax the urgency of their apocalyptic and to claim an increasing
stake in society.84
Same as the CHED memorandum issued, there must be a middle ground

for compromise like allowing the opportunity to do remedial work (which may
come earlier or later, depending on the circumstances of a case), and the provision
81 R. Dudley, et al., Religiosity and Public Issues among Seventh-Day Adventists, 33 R. OF RELIG. RES. 4, 330,
344 (1992).
82 PAUL KAUPNER, RELIGION AND THE CONSTITUTION 226 (1964), citing Walz v. Tax Commission of
the City of New York, 397 U.S. 664 (1970).
83 Id. at 228.
84 Ronald Lawson, Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses, 56
SOCIO. OF RELIG. 4, 351, 375 (1995).
754
[VOL. 85
of giving proof to show sincerity of belief (certification duly signed by the church
pastor).
It must not be feared by some sectors (especially of the secular kind) that
once SDA members are accommodated in their belief to day of rest, a Pandoras
Box of sorts will ensue. The fear is premised on the fact that simply anyone can
invoke her right to a day of rest despite the hardships and costs of
accommodations to involved parties. However, the view must be taken that
Adventists are sincere believers with regard to their day or rest belief. It can easily
be seen in their history as a church and the doctrinal documents that embody the
core values defining their belief. It cannot be seen as a mere convenient
subterfuge or a farcical leverage to be invoked whenever they like it. The
discussion here involves the fundamental relationship between the believer and the
Divine that even transcends the temporal vicissitudes of man-made systems and
institutions.
D. PROSPECTS OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A DEFINITIVE RULING FROM THE

SUPREME COURT
So far, there has been no direct resolution of the issue on how and what
standards the right of religious freedom of SDAs to observe Saturday as the
Sabbath day of rest must be protected. Thus, it is a welcome development to the
corpus of Philippine constitutional jurisprudence for a case dealing with the matter
to be resolved by no less the highest court of the land.
As a religious minority, the SDA Church must be given an opportunity to
participate actively in the larger society so as to be able to contribute to positive
development and galvanize its moral fiber. For such purpose, the social impact of
the law can be seen as a grand catalyst for according respect and accommodation
to religious freedom, particularly the right to day of rest. As Justice Frank Murphy,
a champion of civil liberties in the U.S. Supreme Court, once said, The law knows
no finer hour than when it cuts through formal concepts and transitory emotions
to protect unpopular citizens against discrimination and persecution.85
85
Dissenting opinion, Falbo v. United States, 320 U.S. 549, 64 S. Ct. 346, 88 L. Ed. 305 (1944).
2011]
755
VII. CONCLUSION: TOWARDS A HARMONIOUS IMPERATIVE FOR RELIGIOUS

LIBERTY
The legitimate right of Seventh-Day Adventists to observe Sabbath on
Saturday as the day of rest has a persuasive legal foundation. This springs from
the Constitutions mandate to respect and protect the right to religious freedom
and worship. The zeal of our Founding Fathers to ensure that religion, as mans
only refuge at hope vis--vis lifes existential questions, be forever allowed will turn
into an utter failure were religious freedom be abrogated. Needless to say,
understanding and allowing believers in spending their day of rest as their
conscience dictates would approximate the true intendment of the law.
Any impact, positive or otherwise, on persons affected by implementing
respect for SDAs day of rest must be seen in a light guided by precepts of
accommodation and equity. When a situation arises such that there is a conflict
between the right to religious freedom to day of rest and other stakeholders right
to property, police power, or academic freedom, accommodation is the first step
to assess and determine if measures can be taken to allow the SDA believer to take
alternatives while still giving her the opportunity to observe the Sabbath. Should
accommodation prove too difficult to reconcile competing interests, the believer
must be entitled to an equitable opportunity to avail of other ways to achieve her
needs and aspirations while still being able to rest on Saturday. In other words, the
objective is to harmonize clashing rights. The social problematique I have
presented in this work with respect to the imperative for public respect towards
the Sabbath institution is a realm which the law may address and possibly resolve.
Using the law to promote positive social change is indeed welcome in a
community which intends to favorably reconcile its politico-social and religiousmoral values.
At the end of the day, it remains a genuine challenge for the religious
majority of Filipinos to give institutional respect to accommodate and respect
SDAs with their right to observe day of rest. However, that such challenge is
difficult or seemingly insurmountable is no reason to step back and let possible
conflicts take whatever course. The law, firmly grounded on moral and ethical
precepts, can be used as a vital tool to assert SDA members right to day of rest
without fear or favor. With an approach directed by respect and altruism, SDAs as
756
[VOL. 85
a religious minority can now participate in and contribute to society whilst being
able to fully comply with their sacrament of remembering their Sabbath Day.
- o0o -

Sda Religious Freedom PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sda Religious Freedom PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sda Religious Freedom PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH: A

DISCOURSE ON THE IMPERATIVE FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY*

Richmund C. Sta. Lucia**

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

I. INTRODUCTION: THE TENSE DYNAMIC BETWEEN SECULARISM

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

II. CASE IN POINT: THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Available at http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat1.html (last visited 28 October 2010).

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

dedicated portion on its official website entitled Religious Minorities and

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

promote dialogue and better understanding between governmental

Available at http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat45.html (last visited 28 October 2010).

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

A perpetual memorial of Creation

16 MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION, GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SDAS, SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Supra note 27, at 296.

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

As I had provided in this works quotable epigram, the moral injunction

24 Available at http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other-documents/other-doc6.html (last visited 28

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

individual, this area automatically treads on sensitive matter.28 If the pervasive

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

A. INTERNATIONAL LAW REGIME

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Moreover, there is a particular instrument that seeks to protect religious

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

4. The traditions and customs of religious minorities shall, as far as

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Rest Day Provisions in Labor Law

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Other Issuances Accommodating the Sabbath

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

374 U.S. 398 (1963).

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

eligibility for a government benefit or exemption from a governmental

As the SDA faith is well considered a religious minority, the

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

Sager consistently treat Sherbert as a simple case of outright discrimination in

Therefore, exemption in favor of a Sabbath observer can best be viewed

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

The issue on the protection of the right to equal opportunity and

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH

310 U.S. 586 (1940).

PHILIPPINE LAW JOURNAL

U.S. 205 (1972).

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION OF THE SABBATH