Today is National Religious Freedom Day. The concept of religious freedom isn’t merely a modern political innovation – it’s deeply rooted in biblical, objective truths that have profoundly influenced Western civilization, contributed to the spread of the gospel, and significantly contributed to human flourishing over the last 250 years.

From the very beginning, Scripture reveals that God created humans with the dignity of choice in how they worship. When Jesus said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21), He established a crucial principle: the separation between the spheres of civil authority and religious practice. This teaching would later help shape the American understanding of religious liberty.

The Founding Fathers, particularly Thomas Jefferson, understood this distinction well. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which we commemorate each January 16th, reflected these biblical principles of human dignity and free will. The statute recognized that the government has no right to impose religion on the public in any way. Today, these same principles continue to guide our understanding of religious liberty in public spaces.

While often misunderstood in recent times, the Constitutional protections of religious freedom extend far beyond private worship or personal devotion. The Constitution does not grant us our freedoms but rather enumerates what is recognized as a human right. Religious freedom encompasses the fundamental right of citizens to live out their deeply held beliefs in every sphere of life – whether in business, education, healthcare, or public service. This comprehensive understanding of religious liberty recognizes that faith shapes our entire worldview and moral framework, influencing how we work, serve our communities, and participate in civic life. As our Chief Counsel Randall Wenger points out, “Part of maintaining religious freedom is making sure that religion isn’t treated as something that needs to be hidden, but rather something that we can celebrate.” Attempts to restrict religious expression to private spaces fundamentally misunderstand both the nature of authentic faith and the First Amendment’s protection of free speech and religious exercise.

Wenger also notes, “Civilizations are built not primarily by the government; civilizations are built because of the moral character of their people, and that comes from their faith.” This profound observation reminds us that religious freedom isn’t just about individual rights – it’s about creating space for faith to shape human character, which in turn shapes communities and culture.

Too often we see attempts to restrict religious expression, particularly in educational settings. “Unfortunately, not only church but also the Bible and all things religious are often treated like an allergen in school,” Wenger observes. However, it’s crucial to remember that “The Supreme Court has said that students don’t shed their First Amendment rights when they enter the schoolhouse gates.”

This protection of religious expression in public spaces isn’t just about preserving individual rights – it’s about recognizing the vital role faith plays in building strong communities. “Strong churches are a benefit to their larger communities,” Wenger emphasizes, highlighting how religious freedom serves the common good.

Equally crucial is religious freedom’s role in protecting individuals from compelled speech – the government forcing citizens to express ideas that violate their conscience and religious convictions. Just as free speech protects our right to speak truth as we understand it, religious liberty shields us from being coerced into promoting messages that contradict our deeply held beliefs. This protection is essential in preserving both religious freedom and free speech, recognizing that authentic expression – whether religious or secular – must be voluntary to be meaningful.

Religious freedom serves as society’s strongest bulwark against government overreach. When we protect an individual’s right to live according to their deepest convictions, we establish an inviolable boundary that shields all other fundamental rights. If the government can compel someone to violate their conscience in matters of faith, what prevents it from trampling other basic freedoms? The protection of religious liberty creates a crucial firewall – a line in the sand where government power must stop. This benefits everyone, regardless of their beliefs, by maintaining the limits on state authority that a free society requires.

This celebration of religious freedom opens doors for positive cultural influence. “We’ve got all kinds of opportunities to be an influence to the world around us in a positive way because of these things that are happening,” Wenger notes. These opportunities emerge precisely because our society protects religious expression.

As we look ahead, we must remember that religious freedom isn’t just a legal right – it’s a recognition of how God designed human beings to relate to Him and each other. When we protect religious freedom, we’re not just upholding a constitutional principle; we’re creating space for authentic faith to flourish and transform lives.

This National Religious Freedom Day, let’s remember that religious liberty isn’t about hiding our faith but about celebrating it openly and allowing it to shape our communities for the better. In doing so, we honor both our constitutional heritage and the biblical principles that inspired it.