Why Fights Over Religious Liberty Matter Today
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In this issue: More at summit.org » pg. 2 From the President’s Desk » Student Blog: See what students are up the » pg. 5 What has Doc Noebel to this summer been reading? » Find us on Facebook » pg. 7 Alumni Spotlight: Boehm doesn’t mind being » Check our Twitter journalJuly 2013 Volume 13 Issue 7 countercultural feed: @summitmn Why Fights Over Religious Liberty Matter Today Cover Story n early 2012 when the Obama government’s mandate. at encroachments on religious liberties in the administration first announced Meanwhile, the rise of the same-sex United States. Though these cases usually that the Department of Health and marriage issue will continue to put private get scant coverage from mainstream media HumanI Services — as part of the Afford- citizens in an untenable position in states outlets, they represent bureaucratic postur- able Care Act (Obamacare) — would force where same-sex marriage is legal. While ing against the right to religious liberty. employers to provide contraceptive and politicians promise to protect religious rights Religious liberty has historically been abortifacient drugs to employees at no cost, of clergy (promises that in a similar situation considered America’s first freedom because alarm bells rightly went off among both in Canada proved to be empty), non-clergy of its prominence in the minds of America’s Catholics and Protestants. Despite an ac- citizens are being sued for choosing to not founders and its enshrinement in the first counting gimmick the administration tried provide services to homosexual couples amendment to the Constitution. But there to pass off as a so-called exemption, federal based on their religious convictions. Non- is another reason religious liberty should be officials are still pushing business owners profits, like Catholic Charities in Massachu- put in first place: historically, when a society who object to abortive medical procedures setts, have had to close their doors for not begins restricting religious freedom, coercive to provide abortive drugs in their health placing children for adoption in same-sex- restrictions on other liberties follow. When insurance plans. Even as we write, the Chris- parented home.1 we fail to speak out against seemingly small tian owners of Hobby Lobby — a private, So it’s with good reason that Christians incursions against religious liberty we cede for-profit business — are challenging the and conservatives are collectively crying foul See religious liberty, page 3 from the president’s desk a word from dr. jeff myers As governmental and social re- lobbied to be the officially recognized ers almost unani- strictions on religion increase, violent religion. Anglicans in Virginia actually mously believed in religious persecution and conflict result. paid priests with tax dollars. the soul’s immor- That’s the stunning conclusion of a But British efforts to increase the tality, divine judg- study of religious freedom conducted Anglican church’s influence raised an ment, providential by Brian J. Grim and Roger Finke and alarm: if parliament was willing to di- acts, sin nature, moral absolutes, the published by Cambridge University minish colonist’s religious liberty, then human capacity to bear God’s image, Press. all liberty was at risk. John Adams order in the universe, public virtue, If Grim and Finke are correct, the said this apprehension contributed “as and the general teachings of the Bible. Obama administration’s indifferent much as any cause” to the corroding America’s founders had no doubt and sometimes hostile attitude toward of America’s loyalty to Britain, leading about the relationship between public religious freedom could be setting directly to the Revolution.3 virtue and national success. This, in America on a catastrophic course. America’s founders knew that hu- turn, grounded their belief in lim- Only in America has religious man corruption would put liberties of ited government, just war, and the freedom been protected, on purpose, all kinds at risk. George Washington importance of Christian influence in from the beginning. But as this issue was realistic: “We must take human national life. They believed in religious of The Journal demonstrates, govern- nature as we find it. Perfection falls liberty because without it no liberty is ment coercion now poses a real threat not to the share of mortals.”4 To se- secure. to this first freedom. cure religious freedom from infringe- As Presbyterian pastor John Zubly The target is Christians. Michael ment our founders refused a state warned the British government in Horowitz says that historically Jews church and instead constitutionally the 1760s, “Americans are no idiots, were the “canaries in the coal mine”— guaranteed a free market of religion. and they appear determined not to be if a nation persecuted Jews, it was Religious freedom led to greater slaves.”6 Are we still so determined? more likely to deny freedoms to others freedom and also greater devotion. as well. But now, Horowitz says, the According to Grim and Finke, “the canaries are Christians.1 rate of church attendance increased Notes Religious freedom is the first from 17 percent of the population in 1. Brian J. Grim and Roger Finke, The Price of domino. If it falls, so will all other 1776 to 51 percent by 1890.”5 Freedom Denied (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011), p. 202. freedoms. This is why it is imperative A Paradox: How America’s Founders 2. Thomas S. Kidd, God of Liberty (New York: to grasp why religious freedom was so Secured Religious Freedom Basic Books, 2010), p. 39. important to our founders and how The founders believed that only 3. Ibid., p. 59. they secured it. adherence to Christian principles 4. Ibid., p. 209. Why Religious Freedom Was guaranteed religious freedom for all. 5. Grim and Finke, p. 7. Important to America’s Founders This leaves most liberal academics 6. Kidd, p. 86 According to historian Thomas quivering in indignation: “The found- Kidd, “In the medieval period, Eu- ers were not evangelical Christians!” Update on Summit: Every Sum- ropeans had simply assumed that a we’re told. It’s not true. But more mit session so far has been packed union between church and state, and important, it’s irrelevant. to the gills with enthusiastic young the persecution of those who chal- Here’s the proper question: “What people preparing to be godly, coura- lenged it, was a natural, even God- of the founders’ firm convictions are geous leaders. On behalf of our sanctioned state of affairs.”2 aligned with Scripture, derived only team, I am deeply grateful for your Initially, the same was true in from Scripture, or self-evident but jus- prayers and support. Thank you! America. Various protestant groups tified only by Scripture?” The found- Page 2 July 2013 religious liberty continued from page one ground, little by little, to those who would Kidd points out that deists and Christians Correlation Between like to see religious liberty curtailed. alike united around five key points when Religious Liberty Was staking out a position on religious liberty Religious Freedom, a Founding Principle of the U.S. during the revolution: CIvil Liberties, and Upon its founding, the United States Well-Being was not religiously united. Comprised of State-sanctioned churches colonies with established churches rang- 1 should be disestablished Where religious freedom is present, ing from Congregationalist to Presbyteri- these freedoms and indicators are an, Baptist to Catholic, religious freedom A creator God was guarantor of more likely to exist: and tolerance were extended only as far as 2 fundamental rights each colony’s established denomination » Political Freedom would allow. Persecution of dissenters Human sinfulness posed a threat was not unheard of. Baptist evangelist 3 to the polity (especially via the » Freedom of the Press John Leland became fast friends with power of the state) deist Thomas Jefferson in the early days » Civil Liberties of the American Revolution because A republic needed to be Jefferson advocated for religious freedom 4 sustained by virtue on the part » Lower Poverty denied to Baptists in New England. Bay- of ordinary citizens lor University historian Thomas S. Kidd » Longevity of Democracy explains: God/Providence moved in and The link between Jefferson and Leland 5 through the work of particular indicates that at the time of the found- nations4 » Lower Levels of Armed ing of the United States, deists and Conflict evangelicals (and the range of believers Nowhere else in the world has the in between) united around principles of effort to secure religious liberty been so » Economic Freedom religious freedom that were the keys to robust. success of the Revolution and that aided Modern Threats to » Lower Inlfation in the institution of a nation. The alliance Religious Liberty of evangelicals and deists was fragile and In the West governments have rarely » Higher Earned Income for hardly unanimous, but it proved strong taken up wholesale movements against Men and Women enough to allow Americans to “begin the religious liberty. In the former Soviet 2 world over again” as Tom Paine put it. Union officials routinely knocked down » Higher GDP The American founders understood, doors of religious persons, interrogated though, that important as religious liberty them, encouraged children to report their *Source: Adapted from Grim and was in itself, if a government actively parents’ religious activities, and gener- Finke, p. 206 restricted religious freedom, it ultimately ally terrified religious people or turned a would act tyrannically in other areas as blind eye to their suffering. Such stories well. Religion would be a means by which still are regularly reported in China today. Mandate — enacted by unelected of- the state would try to control the people.3 But when religious persecution comes to ficials — are so alarming. According to In other words, if the state is willing to en- America, it will more likely than not be religious freedom experts Brian J.