Four years ago, in the Citizens United case, the Supreme Courtaffirmed that corporations are “people,” at least when it comes totheir First Amendment rights of free speech. This March, the ninejustices will take up Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby, pairing itwith a second, similar case, Conestoga Wood Specialties, to beginhearing oral arguments regarding the next question in corporateevolution: Can for-profit companies be religious people?

At issue in the highly publicized Hobby Lobby case is whether itand other for-profit companies whose owners have strong moralobjections to birth control can use the Religious FreedomRestoration Act of 1993 to opt out of contraceptive requirementsunder the Department of Health and Human Service's reading of thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Under that stance, companies of more than 50 employees mustprovide full-time workers with medical benefits, includingbirth-control information and a formulary of 20 contraceptive drugsand devices, several of which may function as abortifacients.