Freedom of religion and conscience: Restoring civility, protecting pluralism
Past Event
Introduction and keynote address
Deep and increasingly bitter polarization along partisan, ideological, and religious lines seems to have become the norm in today’s America. This polarization has left many Americans feeling they share little to no common ground with their neighbors. The public discourse around the right to freedom of religion—and its role in protecting people of all faiths, or no faith—is illustrative of contemporary social division. Many fear that if this development continues, the shared understanding of Americans’ basic freedoms and rights will be threatened.
On September 13, 2017, Brookings hosted a discussion with the American Charter Project on the vital role that religious pluralism and freedom of religion and conscience play in fostering civility and unity in our democratic republic. The event convened leading thinkers of diverse viewpoints in a dialogue on present-day threats to our nation’s critical freedoms and to civil public discourse. How can a basis be restored for reasonable people to disagree publicly, even on questions of fundamental importance? At a time of increasing social strife, how can we forge a basis of mutual understanding and respect that enables us to live together with our deepest differences?
The session began with a keynote address, followed by audience questions. After the keynote address, a panel followed and panelists took audience questions. You can follow along on Twitter with #ReligiousPluralism.
Agenda
Introduction
Keynote Address
John J. DiIulio, Jr.
Former Brookings Expert
Frederic Fox Leadership Professor of Politics, Religion, and Civil Society - University of Pennsylvania
Panel Discussion
Joshua DuBois
CEO - Values Partnerships
Former Executive Director, Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships - The White House
Katrina Lantos Swett
President - Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice
Former Commissioner and Chair - U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Russell Moore
President - The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
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Because the Muslim population is based in cities and relatively small, nativists have little contact with and are unlikely to focus on Muslims for long: "We are not the main target of xenophobia because there are bigger groups to be racist about."
