Can we uphold religious freedom for Americans of all faiths and none in the coming decades?

The United States is today the most religiously diverse society on Earth and, among developed countries, the most religious. Expanding religious pluralism combined with culture wars involving religious differences are making our public square a sometimes hostile arena. To explore how Americans might extend the promise of religious freedom more fully and fairly, the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum in collaboration with the First Amendment Center convened a group of religious leaders, scholars, legal experts, journalists and educators in October 2005 for a two-day dialogue about the future of religious freedom in America. Participants identified areas of general agreement and recommended the following: update and widely disseminate consensus guidelines on religion and public schools; develop and disseminate a consensus statement on the role of religion in the public square under current law; develop and disseminate guidance on religious accommodation in the workplace; provide First Amendment education for public officials; convening a working group on international religious freedom; and encourage civil discourse and civic responsibility across religious and ideological differences.

IRCV has worked in partnership with the First Amendment Center, endorsing consensus guidelines on religion in the public schools and disseminating them through our work. We have been invited to participate in several leadership conferences on religious freedom, including this conference. The event’s report records our contribution to the discussion, highlighting Shabbir Mansuri’s comment that “What we’re trying to do here collectively is to provide a civic framework for the communities to sort our their own differences…I should not ask the other side to change their mind; that’s not the idea. But we can engage one another with civility and respect.” In response, Colby May of the American Center for Law and Justice remarked “What Shabbir and I have been able to recognize is that he holds within himself some very wonderful convictions that I do too…I think it is part of having an ordered liberty and a civil society.” The exchange provided a clear example of how Americans can in fact live with deep differences even as they explore commonalities.

For more information: {link to post – OSCE News item}