What is religious freedom? What sorts of issues is the Center concerned with?
We start with the critical First Amendment issues of free exercise of religion and church-state separation. The framers of our Constitution often spoke of “essential rights and liberties.” In religion, these include freedom of conscience and belief, religious pluralism and equality, and the right to freely express and practice one’s faith. The Center is concerned with all of these issues, as well as with the larger political, social and religious conditions that influence them.
But religious freedom is not just about constitutional law. Another important set of issues relates to the role of religion in public and political life. Public discourse today is full of religious language, and much seemingly secular talk is undergirded by particular religious beliefs and values. What is the proper place of religion in debate on public issues? Are some forms of public religious discourse harmful to religious freedom?
These are among the issues the Center addresses in its programs and educational activities.