Over the past couple years, the issue of “religious liberty” has increasingly become a political priority for evangelical Christians. In this video, we explore some potential problems with this language, and suggest that appeals to a right of religious liberty alone are unlikely to persuade our culture that orthodox Christianity deserves protecting.
Follow us on YouTube and see other Davenant Discussions!
Video Questions
00:30: Many pastors increasingly concerned that preaching the Word of God could be charged for hate speech.
1:05: important to recognize that emphasis on “religious liberty” represents a shift in the rhetoric of the Christian Right; no longer are we seeking to take charge of public space in the name of Christ, we’re just asking for our own little sphere of immunity.
2:00: This is nothing new; Christians have often embraced language of “religious liberty when they were in minority,” and discarded it when they were on top.
2:35: Need to be honest with ourselves and determine whether we have a principled commitment to religious liberty or if it’s just a tactical move.
2:55: Are there problems with framing religious liberty in terms of “rights”?
3:50: Nearly everyone would grant that certain religious practices cannot be the subject of a legitimate right to religious exercise (e.g., human sacrifice).
5:00: Critical for us to make the argument that the exercise of Christian religion is consistent with the public good, if we want liberty to practice.
5:40: Rights discourse presupposes some agreement about what the good is.
6:20: Protestantism provides a strong foundation for religious liberty.