Religious Liberty

Faith Commons upholds religious liberty as one of the most important tenets of our American life together. Authentic religious liberty affirms the First Amendment, in both the establishment clause (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…) and the free exercise clause (…or prohibiting the free exercise thereof).

The meaning of religious liberty has been distorted in popular understanding recently. Too often the Christian religious right has co-opted the quest for religious liberty to ensure their own preferential treatment under the law. This is an over-extension of the free exercise clause at the expense of the establishment clause.

Faith Commons promotes a balance between the two, which affirms every person’s religious or nonreligious practice without government restriction or promotion. This way, America can live out the pluralistic ideals on which we were founded.