WOF 520: Defending Religious Freedom

Religious freedom, especially for Christians, is under attack across the globe, including in the West–including right here in the United States. Whether insidiously in the form of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that block Christians from employment and advancement opportunities, or, overtly, like vandalism against churches, or, in some parts of the world, murderous violence against Christians themselves, in terms of sheer numbers–and this fact is often ignored–Christians are, by far, the most persecuted religious group in the world. While defending religious freedom is important for people of all faiths, or no faith at all, it is thus especially urgent for believers in Christ. How, then, can we work together as a church and as a society to make progress on this front? Taking a step back, what, specifically, is religious freedom and why is it a universal human right? What is the relationship between the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech? And how can we respond to the secular charge that religious freedom is merely a backdoor means for the faithful to impose their beliefs on others?

A listener asks how we can grow in confidence that Catholicism is the one true religion.

Topics Covered:

00:00 | Introduction
01:36 | Concluding Winona-Rochester’s diocesan synod
03:24 | The work of the Religious Liberty Commission
07:33 | Responding to Religious Liberty Commission criticism
09:11 | The inherent priority of religious liberty
12:32 | Distinguishing the freedoms of religion, conscience, and speech
14:26 | Is religious liberty necessary for worship?
16:33 | Understanding “due limits” to religious liberty
19:33 | Proposition or imposition?
20:24 | Civil authority and religious authority
22:40 | Truth and relativism
27:25 | How poor conceptions of religion undermine religious liberty
28:27 | Advocating for religious liberty
30:06 | Religious freedom in society
31:36 | Why religious liberty matters for evangelization
32:48 | Listener question: How can we know Catholicism is true?
36:01 | Join the Word on Fire Institute

Links:

• Dignitatis Humanae: Vatican document
• Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

 

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