Independence Day commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration is a legal brief, making a case that “these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free … Continue reading The Faith of a Founding Father | Influence Podcast
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof … .” With these words, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution enshrines religious freedom as a hallmark of the American experiment. Government will … Continue reading Religious Freedom in a Secular Age | Book Review
“We’ve long lived in a country where religious freedom was secure, and we didn’t need to give it much thought,” writes Luke Goodrich. “Now we’re realizing the country is changing and we might not enjoy the same degree of religious … Continue reading The Battle over Religions Liberty in America | Influence Podcast
Religious freedom is one of America’s most cherished values. It is enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and protected by a thick web of statutory laws and judicial decisions. The same holds true at the state level. … Continue reading Free to Believe | Book Review
Robert Louis Wilken opens Liberty in the Things of God with this proposition, which American readers likely will find unobjectionable, if not self-evident: “Religious freedom rests on a simple truth: religious faith is an inward disposition of the mind and heart and for that reason cannot be coerced by external force.” And yet, throughout history, this seemingly unobjectionable, self-evident proposition has been more honored in the breach than in the observance. Consider, for example, the history of Christianity, which was born in the fires of persecution. When Christians became Roman emperors, the formerly persecuted turned imperial power into a sword against … Continue reading Liberty in the Things of God | Book Review
When religious freedom makes the news these days, controversy follows hard on its heels. Many believe that such controversy is a recent thing, a deviation from the traditional American respect for the “sacred rights of conscience,” but even a passing acquaintance with American history exposes this belief as nostalgia. Religious freedom has always been controversial. “Nothing teaches like experience,” wrote Isaac Backus in A History of New-England, “and what is true history but the experiences of those who have gone before us?” Brandon J. O’Brien’s Demanding Liberty tells the story of Backus’s decades-long fight for religious liberty in America in … Continue reading Demanding Liberty | Book Review
American public discourse, especially about controversial issues, is often conducted at a very low level. More heat than light, one might say. In this video from The Heritage Foundation, John Corvino, Sherif Girgis, and Ryan Anderson show how to have an informative, civil, and pointed debate about the legal conflict between religious liberty protections and LGBT nondiscrimination laws. Continue reading Video of ‘Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination’ at The Heritage Foundation
Over at The Gospel Coalition, Russell Moore explains why Christians must advocate religious freedom for adherents of non-Christian religions too. Continue reading Russell Moore on Why Christians Should Fight for the Religious Liberties of False Religions
Over at First Things, Mark Bauerlein interviews Mark Movsesian about “Religious Liberty at the Present Time.” The website has a transcript if you want to read the conversation. Here’s the video if you want to watch or listen to it. Continue reading Video: ‘Religious Liberty at the Present Time with Mark Bauerlein and Mark Movsesian
Leith Anderson and Galen Carey, Faith in the Voting Booth: Practical Wisdom for Voting Well (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016). Today (March 15), voters from Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio cast ballots in the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries. Since I am a Missourian, I performed my civic duty and cast a ballot along with them. Voting is so routine in American life that we Americans often take it for granted. We shouldn’t, however. It is a great privilege and an awesome responsibility. It also can be hard work. Choosing a candidate or supporting a referendum requires informed … Continue reading Review of ‘Faith in the Voting Booth’ by Leith Anderson and Galen Carey
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