Towards a Civil Public Square: Freedom of Religion and Diversity
“Lying at the heart of the freedom to be human, freedom of religion and conscience is a matter of life and death for millions of people across the world, for people of almost every faith. Truly we can declare with a ringing conviction that freedom of religion and conscience is the “first freedom” and a foundational human right.”
In this paper, Os Guinness explains the foundational importance of freedom of religion in Western civilisation, and the need to build a civil public square which allows true freedom of public and private belief.
Summary of Research Paper
The thesis:
We live in an age that questions the existence of rights that have been recognised for centuries in the West.
Our understanding of these freedoms is based on the Christian worldview. It is increasingly evident that when this worldview disappears, these rights disappear too. One of the most important rights is freedom of religion and conscience.
It is not fashionable to believe in God. Modern society has embraced secularism at the expense of its Christian heritage. Public figures often draw a line between their personal lives (where they are free to hold and exercise religious views) and their public ones (where they are not).
Yet, religious freedom is arguably more consequential today than ever as a precondition for societal harmony, especially with the increased diversity of Western countries.
Should there be a role for religion in the public square? If so, what?
Different models:
The paper discusses three interactions between religion and the public square.
Naked public square: A radical separation of both church and state, between faith and public life. Historical examples include the French Revolution or the Soviet Union. But as this model views faith as retrograde and anti-progress, it often sanctions Christian persecution.
Sacred public square: An established religion model, where one religion is preferred to the detriment of others, such as in Iran where minority faiths are persecuted. There are more accommodation models, like in England, where an established Church sits alongside religions freedom for all.
Civil public square: Although this model does not have an established religion, there is no separation between faith and public life. The United States has embraced this model and protects religious freedom for all. Through civility, citizens navigate differences through discourse and debate rather than violence and coercion.
The solution:
In Western societies that are becoming increasingly intolerant towards Christian beliefs, citizens must resist the temptation to entrench the “naked public square” model.
A civil public square embraces our Christian heritage and recognises and encourages the
crucial role faith plays in public life. The celebration of diversity of belief is vital to the restoration of civility in public discourse.
Countries with and without established religions can and should protect freedom of religion for all, and foster cultures where virtuous, civil citizens work together to write a better story.
