Freedom of Religion

Freedom of Religion

Freedom of religion refers to the human right to hold, express, and practice beliefs about God without coercion or interference from civil authority. The biblical understanding of this freedom is grounded in the limited sphere of government authority described in Scripture and in the moral priority of conscience before God. In practice, freedom of religion has been articulated both in Christian teaching and in constitutional law.1

Biblical Foundations of Conscience and Authority

According to Scripture, earthly rulers hold power by God’s design to promote justice and restrain wrongdoing, not to compel worship (Romans 13:1–4). The state’s power is inherently coercive and therefore limited to protecting human dignity and neighbourly love. In contrast, saving faith is “by grace... through faith... not the result of works” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV). Because redemption cannot be imposed, the worship of God cannot be coerced. Kristopher Kinsinger explains that this distinction between civil and spiritual authority means “the worship of God can never be coerced,” since the gospel operates through grace rather than compulsion.2

From this biblical perspective, the authority of government is confined to the outward, temporal good of society. The conscience remains bound to God alone. This conviction underlies a Christian rationale for freedom of belief that differs from the liberal, autonomy-based model. The liberal view grounds freedom in personal sovereignty; the biblical view grounds it in God’s sovereignty and the limits of human government.3

Christian Development of Liberty of Conscience

The idea that people possess an inherent right to freedom of conscience emerged from early and medieval Christian teaching. Joe Carter’s summary of Robert Louis Wilken’s work traces the term “freedom of religion” back to Tertullian, who described belief as “an inner conviction accountable to God alone and resistant to compulsion.”4 Over time, figures such as John Calvin and William Penn advanced this understanding of a dual authority—God’s and the state’s—each operating in distinct spheres.

Wilken identifies three enduring principles:

  • Belief is an inward conviction accountable to God.
  • Conscience carries an obligation to act according to truth.
  • Human society is governed by two powers: God and the state.5

Even Calvin emphasized that while believers must obey civil law in temporal matters, “in matters of faith they are subject only to God.”6 Although he erred at times in applying this principle, his distinction between temporal and spiritual authority provided later thinkers with the theological tools to defend liberty of conscience.

Legal Protections and Civic Application

In modern constitutional democracies, freedom of religion is safeguarded through specific legal frameworks. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 establishes that “the government may burden a person’s exercise of religion only if it demonstrates” a compelling interest pursued through “the least restrictive means.”7 This standard affirms that personal conviction about God deserves strong legal protection.

Judicial interpretation has often recognized the historical place of faith in public life. In ACLU v. Mercer County, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit observed that a reasonable person “appreciates the role religion has played in our governmental institutions” and therefore finds it “historically appropriate and traditionally acceptable” for the state to acknowledge those influences.8 Wayne Grudem applies the same reasoning to local government, arguing that allowing prayers at city council meetings “is far from compelling anyone to accept a particular religion” and does not violate the Constitution’s original meaning.9

Christian Purpose and Limits of Freedom

Kinsinger notes that followers of Christ should value freedom of religion as a moral and civic good, but not as an ultimate one. This freedom allows for faithful witness and peaceful living but does not guarantee discipleship or salvation. True liberty is spiritual, rooted in the freedom found in Christ rather than in civil privilege (Galatians 5:13).10 Christians should defend the freedom to worship and obey God while remembering that their allegiance is ultimately to the eternal kingdom, not to temporal governments.

References

  1. Kristopher Kinsinger, “Why Christians Should (and Shouldn’t) Care about Religious Freedom,” The Gospel Coalition Canada, April 20, 2022, https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-christians-should-and-shouldnt-care-about-religious-freedom/.

  2. Joe Carter, “Religious Freedom Is a Christian Idea,” The Gospel Coalition, October 14, 2019, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/liberty-things-god-religious-liberty/.

  3. Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Public Law 103–141, §3, 107 Stat. 1488 (United States).

  4. ACLU v. Mercer County, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2008.

  5. Wayne Grudem, Politics - According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 503.