What Religious Liberty is and What it is Not
Religious liberty isn’t just about private beliefs; it’s also about living out one’s deepest convictions in the public square.
This fundamental freedom is often misunderstood and increasingly challenged in our polarized society. For that reason, Christians must be clear on religious liberty’s biblical foundations and benefits for society, be willing and able to address misconceptions about religious freedom and prepare to defend it in the future.
The Foundation of Religious Freedom
To understand why religious liberty matters so deeply, we must first examine its foundations in both American law and biblical truth.
Why does religious liberty matter? Does supporting religious liberty signal that all religious beliefs are equally true? Religious liberty matters not because all religious beliefs are equally true but because the ability to seek and live according to truth is essential to human dignity. As the First Amendment recognizes, this liberty is not granted by the government but protected by it: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Indeed, religious freedom is not granted by the government but by God. It is God—Creator of heaven and earth—who created us in his image (Gen. 1:27), endowing us with the capacity to reason, choose, and believe. And it is God who reveals that true faith cannot be coerced. That’s why Jesus never forced anyone to follow Him but rather invited people to “come to me” (Matt. 11:28). And it’s why, when his disciples wanted to call down fire on unbelieving villages, he rebuked them (Luke 9:54-55).
Many people mistakenly view religious liberty as simply freedom of worship—the right to believe what you want and practice your faith in private. But authentic religious liberty goes far beyond private devotion. It encompasses the right to live according to one’s beliefs in all areas of life, from how we raise our children to how we conduct our businesses.
How Religious Liberty Enables Human Flourishing
Understanding these foundations helps us recognize the vital ways religious liberty contributes to human flourishing in our contemporary context. Religious freedom benefits society in several crucial ways:
First, it acknowledges human dignity. When the government respects religious liberty, it recognizes that human beings have obligations beyond those owed to the state. We are more than just citizens; we are creatures with eternal destinies. This recognition shapes how society views human worth and purpose.
Second, it promotes authentic faith. As Richard John Neuhaus often observed, “When religious freedom is denied or truncated, it is not believers alone who suffer but all of society.” Forced faith is no faith at all, and a society that coerces belief ultimately undermines the very possibility of genuine religious commitment.
Third, it enables moral and cultural renewal. Religious communities often serve as sources of moral wisdom and social capital, contributing to the common good through education, healthcare, and charitable works. When religious liberty is restricted, this vital contribution is diminished. Consider, for example, that religious organizations provide billions in economic and social benefits to their communities.
Fourth, it protects minority viewpoints. Religious liberty isn’t just for majority faiths but ensures that all people can seek and live according to truth as they understand it, without fear of government persecution. This protection of minorities not only acknowledges human dignity, but it strengthens the social fabric by preventing the tyranny of the majority in matters of conscience.
Fifth, it fosters civic virtue. Religious communities often instill values essential for democratic citizenship—honesty, service, and concern for others—while providing institutional frameworks for civil society separate from government control.
Addressing Common Misconceptions of Religious Liberty
Given these vital contributions to human flourishing, why do some still resist robust religious liberty protections? The answer often lies in fundamental misunderstandings about what religious liberty actually means and how it functions in a pluralistic society. Several persistent myths about religious liberty must be addressed:
Myth 1: Religious liberty is code for Christian privilege.
Reality: Religious liberty protects people of all faiths and none, ensuring that government remains neutral toward religious claims while protecting everyone’s right to live according to their convictions. It’s as much about protecting atheists from forced religious observance as protecting believers from government interference.
Myth 2: Religious liberty allows discrimination.
Reality: Religious liberty balances competing rights and interests, protecting both religious freedom and other civil rights while seeking reasonable accommodations when these conflict. Courts have developed nuanced frameworks for handling these tensions, recognizing that neither religious liberty nor other civil rights are absolute.
Myth 3: Religious liberty threatens secular democracy.
Reality: Religious liberty strengthens democracy by ensuring that diverse viewpoints can coexist and contribute to public discourse without government interference. It prevents the establishment of both religious and secular orthodoxies.
Myth 4: Religious liberty is only about private belief.
Reality: Authentic religious liberty protects not just private belief but public expression and practice, recognizing that faith shapes all aspects of life for religious believers.
The Path Forward
Having addressed these misconceptions, we can now chart a clearer path forward for protecting and promoting religious liberty in our contemporary context.
The challenges to religious liberty today are significant. From restrictions on religious gatherings during public health crises to mandates that conflict with religious conscience, people of faith increasingly face pressure to compartmentalize their beliefs or conform to secular orthodoxies. Looking forward, defending religious liberty requires:
- Articulating its importance for all people, not just religious believers
- Finding ways to balance competing rights claims
- Building coalitions across religious and ideological lines
- Challenging the privatization of faith
- Demonstrating how religious freedom serves the common good
As Americans face increasing social polarization, religious liberty provides a framework for living together amid deep differences. It allows us to be authentically ourselves while respecting others’ rights to do the same. This is not a compromise of conviction but a recognition that true faith cannot be coerced and that human flourishing requires the freedom to seek and serve God according to conscience.
The preservation of religious liberty requires renewed commitment from each generation. Today’s challenges call for both wisdom in articulating its importance and courage in defending it, knowing that what is at stake is not just religious freedom but human flourishing itself. As we navigate complex social challenges, religious liberty remains essential. As those who value life, knowing we are made in God’s image, we must protect human dignity. Therein lies the freedom to seek and live according to truth.
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I thought this was written by a baptist and was disheartened to see it was written by a Presbyterian who does not understand his only heritage’s position on religious liberty.
What did the Founders originally mean by “religious liberty”?
I assume the majority would have strongly disagreed with this statement of yours, including the likes of Jefferson and Madison:
“Religious liberty protects people of all faiths and none, ensuring that government remains neutral toward religious claims while protecting everyone’s right to live according to their convictions.”
Religious liberty was originally code for “Christian liberty”, and yes, Christian privilege, because “religion” to them was more-or-less synonymous with Christianity.
You are exactly correct. It is disheartening to see Presbyterian parrot talking points that are contrary to the historical protestant position and the reformers themselves. He has more in common with Roger Williams than John Calvin and John Knox.
How, as a Christian pastor, he can allow those under the threat of judgement and wrath from God remain in that state because it is their “conscience” is beyond reason. It is also a perversion of the historical protestant understanding of conscience and Christian Liberty. His position is contrary to his own Westminster Standards.
Traditionally understood, until very recent times, Christian Liberty of conscience was granted after regeneration. It was the ability to serve God and keep His commands, not the ability to do as one pleases and think as one pleases. Prior to regeneration, the man is a slave and unable to keep the commands of God. For the Christian, freedom of conscience is the freedom to finally serve God, love God, and keep His commands. Prior to this, a man’s conscience is in bondag to his sin.
You are exactly correct. It is disheartening to see Presbyterian parrot talking points that are contrary to the historical protestant position and the reformers themselves. He has more in common with Roger Williams than John Calvin and John Knox.
How, as a Christian pastor, he can allow those under the threat of judgement and wrath from God remain in that state because it is their “conscience” is beyond reason. It is also a perversion of the historical protestant understanding of conscience and Christian Liberty. His position is contrary to his own Westminster Standards.
Traditionally understood, until very recent times, Christian Liberty of conscience was granted after regeneration. It was the ability to serve God and keep His commands, not the ability to do as one pleases and think as one pleases. Prior to regeneration, the man is a slave and unable to keep the commands of God. For the Christian, freedom of conscience is the freedom to finally serve God, love God, and keep His commands. Prior to this, a man’s conscience is in bondage to his sin.