The Responsibility to Bear Witness: Defining the American Catholic’s Role Amid the Worldwide Crisis of Religious Freedom
Author: Thomas Farr
July 2, 2015
Speaking at the Fortnight for Freedom at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, RFP Director Thomas Farr discusses the Catholic Church's important role in protecting and promoting religious freedom, both in the United States and abroad. Farr argues that the Church is facing a great challenging, as "we are living amidst dramatic, worldwide decline in religious freedom." Using examples such as the Supreme Court's controversial decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, he believes that the challenge posed to religious freedom in America is especially daunting and has dramatic consequences: "If religious freedom is lost here, it is unlikely to be regained elsewhere." The freedom to worship has great social, political, and economic utility, and Farr draws several connections between religious freedom and democracy, economic growth, and peace. The Catholic Church has a responsibility to protect these goods.
