The dedication page of Luke Goodrich’s new book Free to Believe – The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America reads, “For the Church.” The book is a love letter to Christians in the United States and beyond. Why does the church need an epistle subtitled, “The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America?” This book is desperately needed at precisely this moment because religious freedom is poorly understood and under assault across America. If it is lost here, can it thrive anywhere else?
Many Christians, especially evangelicals, may not realize just how much has been lost in recent years. The Founding Fathers recognized the importance of religious liberty because it dealt with the fundamental human obligation to pursue transcendent truth and follow the precepts of one’s faith. Hence, the Bill of Rights forbids the federal government from establishing a national religion or infringing on individual rights, while recognizing the free exercise of religion as foundational for the exercise of other individual and community liberties.
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