Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1288439
12 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 2020 | DENVER CATHOLIC CH R I S TI A N S S H O U L D H AV E A CH R I S TI A N U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F R E L I G I O U S L I B E R T Y More than ever, Christian peoples need to understand the biblical meaning of religious liberty. The right to reli- gious liberty is rooted in the obligation and responsibility of every human person to seek the truth about God and to practice true religion as God has revealed it (CCC, no 2104). Religion is not a private matter of mere personal opinion but has both objective and public significance. However, the Church also defines "liberty of con- science" as the individual's rightful immunity from being forced to believe what could only be accepted in faith by a free response to Divine Revelation (CCC, no. 2106). So, for example, a Christian nation can never impose belief in Jesus Christ upon a non-believer, not because religion is private, but because faith cannot be forced since it entails a free response to the gift of grace. The same would be true within a predominantly Muslim or Hindu nation. T H E C AT ECH I S M O F T H E C AT H O L I C CH U R CH S TAT E S IT L I K E T H I S: "The right to religious liberty is neither a moral license to adhere to error, nor a supposed right to error, but rather a natural right of the human person to civil liberty, i.e., immunity, within just limits, from external constraint in religious matters by political authorities. This natural right ought to be acknowledged in the juridical order of society in such a way that it constitutes a civil right" (CCC, no. 2108). The secular view suppresses religious conviction in public through privatization, while the biblical view declares the right of every individual and religious group to practice their religion publicly. The difference in the two approaches is becoming increasingly obvious as secular idealists see Christians as a public threat to "progress" for remaining faithful to their biblical convictions. W E M U S T D E FE N D R E L I G I O U S L I B E R T Y & CH A N G E CO U R S E The history of privatizing faith has eroded centuries of Christian confidence in the value of our public witness of faith. While it is true that the Church should never get into the business of running civil government, it is also true that Christian teaching has made the greatest contribution to social life. Without Christianity, we would not have the modern values of personal dignity, individual liberty, human rights, freedom of speech or representative government; nor would we have such an elaborate network of schools, hospi- tals and other social services to care for the poor. Yet without the influence of Christian believers acting in the public square today, these blessed ideals of social life will not last. We cannot maintain Christian morality without Christ and his Church operating in the public arena—the human tendency toward dictatorship and totalitarianism is just too great. Therefore, Christian peo- ples everywhere, it's time to break the code of silence and proclaim the Gospel from the rooftops. We are called to bring our faith into every aspect of social life. IT S TI M E TO B R E A K T H E CO D E O F S I L E N CE As we enter this turbulent election season, we are facing an increasing capitulation of Christians to the ideals of the Enlightenment—by either remaining silent before the aggressive agenda of God-less secularism or, sadly, by becoming its steadfast champions. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are not permitted to do either. As disciples of Jesus, we need to think harder and deeper about the importance of religious liberty and the WATCH A N D SH A RE TH E V IDEO OCTOB ER 2 FROM DEN V ER C ATHOLIC'S S OCI A L M EDI A PAG E S