Written by Don Byrd
In the current issue of Report From the Capital, the Baptist Joint Committee’s Holly Hollman offers an important recognition: the religious liberty issues we face today are difficult to navigate. The challenge of maintaining “religious liberty for all,” she says, is “not conducive to easy answers.”
Here is an excerpt from her column:
Same-sex marriage, objections to health insurance coverage for contraception, religious extremism abroad, and a growing proportion of Americans that do not identify with any religion all seem to be taking a toll on our shared vision for religious liberty.
There are no quick fixes for these issues. There is, however, a strong need for deliberate dialogue and the affirmation of core principles to keep our differences from dividing us too deeply. To protect this cherished aspect of our country’s foundation, we need to understand and appreciate it, think about how our rights are tied to the rights of others, and engage more thoughtfully with people from different perspectives about how best to protect everyone’s religious freedom.
She goes on to offer three core religious liberty principles that should guide that essential discussion. Read the whole thing. It is an important and helpful reminder of where to start in addressing today’s difficult challenges.
Strangely, it seems that the more complex the religious liberty issue, the more loudly some advocates insist – from all political sides – that the choices are clear and the solution simple. Nothing could be further from the truth.
