Report of the Georgetown Symposium on Proselytism and Religious Freedom in the Twenty-First Century

March 3, 2010

Do religious individuals and groups possess a right to share their beliefs with others in the hope that those beliefs will be embraced? On the other hand, do religious groups have a right to defend their respective identities against efforts to convert their adherents? And what role does the state have in all of this? Can the law limit missionary activities? These debates are related to critical questions of identity, truth, religious obligation, and community and are increasingly controversial in a globalized world. In March 2010 the Berkley Center sponsored a day-long conference in which scholars and policymakers debated these issues. This report summarizes answers to these questions—issues that will have enormous implications for American interests, justice, and world peace in the twenty-first century.

View Publication

Download PDF
Opens in a new window