BJC celebrates where we have been and the many people all along the way who have supported, cared for and challenged us to advocate for religious freedom for all for 85 years. We view our past in a posture of gratitude, openness and repentance — holding these values together as we come to understand and tell the truth about our organizational history.
Moving
faith freedom forward
In our 85th year, advocating for everyone’s religious liberty in an increasingly diverse and polarized society is both an urgent and difficult mission. Thanks to the active and generous involvement of our broad coalition of supporters, we are up to that challenge! Join us in this work with a gift of $85. We are ready to move faith freedom forward, as we look forward to celebrating our centennial in 2036.
What will it take to move faith freedom forward, to advocate vigorously for everyone’s faith freedom, now and into the future? We will:
Host an inclusive table where all religious and spiritual perspectives are not only welcomed but feel at home
Expand our circle of supporters and of influence as we build a faith freedom nation
Reimagine our mission at the intersection of race and religious freedom and launch the Project on Race and Religious Freedom
Celebrating the past ten years of
Former BJC Executive Director James Dunn gives students a tour of the Center for Religious Liberty in 2013.
BJC stands against attempts to target anyone for unfair treatment based on religion, including the Muslim and African travel ban. We joined our neighbors at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 after the ruling in Trump v. Hawaii.
BJC responds to current threats to religious freedom, such as a discussion on Christian nationalism in the wake of the January 6, 2021, insurrection with The Most Rev. Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and researcher Dr. Andrew L. Whitehead.
The BJC Fellows Program equips young professionals to advocate for faith freedom throughout their careers. In 2019, members of several classes spoke about the impact of the program.
BJC hosted Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith Youth Core, for a lecture series in 2020. He challenged students to consider being “the kind of leader who can encourage cooperation between people from different religious communities.”
In 2015, BJC was a leader in the Know Your Neighbor campaign, an interfaith effort to foster dialogue and understanding across lines of racial and political differences.
Justice Stephen Breyer spoke at the opening of the Center for Religious Liberty in 2012. The facility for programs coupled with the creation of BJC’s education department in the same year expanded our educational footprint.
On the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth in 2015, the Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle gave a call to the BJC community that set a new tone. “Religious liberty is good, but so is physical freedom. Keep the faith by breaking the silence,” he said.
Each year, the BJC Fellows Seminar brings young professionals to Colonial Williamsburg for an intensive training program, equipping BJC Fellows to advocate for faith freedom throughout their careers.
Amanda Tyler testifies before Congress on Oct. 2, 2018, about threats to religious liberty around the world.
Holly Hollman moderates a panel during a 2013 symposium on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which looked at the landmark legislation and explored contemporary controversies regarding the free exercise of religion.
BJC and the Howard University School of Divinity co-hosted a symposium on religious liberty and the Black Church in 2016, featuring the Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock.
BJC responds to current threats to religious freedom, such as a discussion on Christian nationalism in the wake of the January 6, 2021, insurrection with The Most Rev. Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and researcher Dr. Andrew L. Whitehead.
Holly Hollman speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 after oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran v. Comer, a case about how the freedom of religion is protected.
BJC joined with religious groups to deliver a letter to Congress on behalf of thousands of faith leaders from all 50 states in 2017, asking to keep the protections of the Johnson Amendment.
BJC hosts students from all backgrounds in our Center for Religious Liberty for educational sessions.
BJC hosted a national conversation on white supremacy and American Christianity in the summer of 2020, broadcast live across the country.
BJC turns 100 in 2036 — how will you help us move faith freedom forward over the next 15 years?
Make a gift of $85 to BJC as we continue our work, together, moving faith freedom forward. Your contribution supports our 85th anniversary initiative, the Project on Race and Religious Freedom, which helps us explore and increase our advocacy for diverse groups who have experienced less religious freedom in our nation. You can also make your contribution a recurring monthly gift.
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