Religious Liberty (principles and application)

Religious liberty may be defined as freedom from coercion in religious matters, by way of either compulsion or interference, in respect to one’s choice, profession, or practice of any religion (or no religion); a freedom limited only at the point of infringement on the rights of others. Article 18 of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives a succinct and well-worded definition of religious liberty: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance.” Religious liberty is distinguished from religious toleration in that the latter carries the connotation of sufferance that is granted the nonconformist (and hence may be withdrawn) by an established or dominant group; whereas the former is one of the basic human rights—the right of the individual to be answerable only to his God for his obligations to God. The basis of religious liberty is the dignity of the human person, created originally in the image of God. God can accept an homage only when it is freely given. A corollary of human dignity is equality before the law and nondiscrimination. The Seventh-day Adventist concept of religious freedom is founded on Scripture; there SDA s find an inspired definition of the Christian’s duty not only to God and the church but also to the government under which the Christian lives and holds citizenship. Seventh-day Adventists hold that separation of church and state is best for both. Verses cited in support of religious freedom include: John 18:36 ; Matt. 6:33 ; Ex. 20:1–3 ; Rom. 13:1 , 2 ; Acts 5:29 ; Matt. 22:16–21 ; Rom. 13:3–8 ; 1 Peter 2:13–17 ; Rom. 14:12 ; Dan. 3 ; 6 ; 2 Cor. 6:14 ; Matt. 10:28 . Seventh-day Adventist statements on religious liberty date back to the 1850s, when several writers identified the “two horns like a lamb” ( Rev. 13:11 ) as civil and religious liberty (for example, John N. Andrews, “Thoughts on Revelation XIII and XIV ,” Review and Herald 1:83, May 19, 1851; and Hiram Edson, “The Times of the Gentiles,” Review and Herald 7:129, Jan. 24, 1856). R. F. Cottrell spoke of the principle of separation of church and state, and the Christian’s relation to the state (“Should Christians Fight?” No. 1, Review and Herald 25:180, 181, May 9, 1865). When the Sabbath Sentinel was launched in 1884, it was issued for the purpose of “sounding the alarm” on the “true bearing of uniting church and state” in the agitation for religious legislation ( Review and Herald 61:16, Jan. 1, 1884). History. Seventh-day Adventist views on religious liberty were set forth in 1889 as the “Declaration of Principles” of the National Religious Liberty Association, organized that year in Battle Creek, Michigan. The four resolutions directly related to religious liberty were: “We believe in supporting the civil government, and submitting to its authority. “We deny the right of any civil government to legislate on religious questions. “We believe it is the right, and should be the privilege, of every man to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience. “We also believe it to be our duty to use every lawful and honorable means to prevent religious legislation by the civil government; that we and our fellow citizens may enjoy the inestimable blessings of both civil and religious liberty.” There are some practical conditions for achieving a full measure of religious liberty on individual, local, and international levels. A. Individual persons need the right and freedom to: 1. Hold or change or not to have a particular religious faith and join the corresponding religious community of their choice. 2. Teach and communicate their faith through witness and persuasion. 3. Worship privately or publicly, and have places of worship. 4. Educate their children in their religion at home, in church, or in church schools. 5. Receive religious assistance and care wherever they are, including in health-care facilities, military service, detention centers, and retirement homes. 6. Not to be coerced to act against conscience and join groups, associations, or trade unions not in harmony with their religious beliefs. 7. Not to be discriminated against in study, employment, professional, and civic life. 8. Observe days of rest and religious feasts in accordance with the precepts of their religion. 9. Exercise conscientious objection and perform alternative service. B. Local religious communities need the freedom to: 1. Operate according to their own internal order. 2. Appoint church or religious leaders without outside interference. 3. Operate educational institutions—including those for the training of ministers—health-care facilities, and other institutions appropriate to their religious mission and needs. 4. Publish literature to nourish the faithful and propagate religious faith and beliefs. 5. Have access to the media of communication. C. Religious communities on the international level need the freedom to: 1. Operate world or international regional headquarters or administrative centers. 2. Communicate and have spiritual and administrative relations across international borders with coreligionists. 3. Organize international religious congresses, assemblies, committees, and seminars. United Nations instruments upholding religious liberty as a basic human right include, in addition to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 18) and the 1981 “Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.” This last document mentions specifically the right to observe days of rest in harmony with the precepts of one’s religion. An official statement of the basic principles of religious liberty held by Seventh-day Adventists through the years appears in the Working Policy of the North American Division of the General Conference (1992/1993, pp. 227, 228). While this statement of principles was adopted essentially for the United States, particularly paragraph g, it represents the general Seventh-day Adventist thinking, especially paragraphs a-f and h: “1. In a changing world it is essential to retain in clear focus the unchanging principles that govern the relationships between man and his Creator and between church and state, and to make clear the application of those principles to specific situations as they develop. Seventh-day Adventists believe these fundamental principles to be: “a. That God as Creator of all things has established the relationships that should prevail between Himself and humanity, and between church and state. “b. That God endowed humanity with intelligence, with means for obtaining a knowledge of the Creator’s purpose and will for the individual, with moral perception and conscience, with the power of free choice to determine one’s own destiny, and with responsibility to the Creator for the use one makes of these faculties; and that the first and supreme duty is to know and to cooperate with the Creator’s revealed will. “c. That an individual’s relationship to other human beings rests on the basic principle of unselfish love as illustrated in the words, ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do you, do ye even so to them’; and that application of this principle involves recognition of the equal rights of others under God and a direct responsibility to God for our treatment of one another. “d. That the church is a divinely ordained institution, the role of which is to preserve and to proclaim God’s message to humanity, to assist individuals in making His design effective in their hearts and lives, and to unite its members in fellowship, worship, and service. “e. That civil government is ordained by God; that its divinely appointed function is to protect individuals in the legitimate exercise of their rights to provide a suitable environment in which they can pursue the objectives set for them by their Creator. “f. That in view of its divinely ordained role, civil government is entitled to humanity’s respectful and willing obedience in temporal matters to the extent that civil requirements do not conflict with those of God; in other words, humanity is bound to ‘render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s’ but to reserve for ‘God the things that are God’s’; to exercise an active, personal interest and concern in matters affecting the public welfare, and to be an exemplary citizen. “g. That humanity’s twofold duty to Caesar and to God, each in his respective sphere, implies a clear distinction between their separate spheres of authority and jurisdiction; that God has delegated to civil government authority and jurisdiction in temporal matters, while reserving to Himself authority and jurisdiction over humanity’s conscience; that in the best interests of both church and state, civil government must observe strict neutrality in religious matters, neither promoting religion nor restricting individuals or the church in the legitimate exercise of their rights. “h. That religious freedom consists of the inalienable right to believe and to worship God according to conscience, without coercion, restraint, or civil disability, and to practice one’s religion and promulgate it without interference or penalty; and of the obligation to grant the same right to others. “In view of these principles, we hold that religious liberty for all is best achieved, guaranteed, and preserved through the separation of church and state as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. . . . “We recognize that both the church and the state may serve the citizens in certain fields, and that some of these functions may overlap. Remuneration from the state for services rendered properly may be received by church institutions. The church and its institutions may also, without compromising their position, accept from the state certain limited favors, such as tax exemption, and police and fire protection. “The church recognizes the right of its individual members to accept assistance from the state under such programs as the public health service, school lunches, and similar programs designed for the benefit of both parent and child. Further programs that call for the cooperation of the church will be reviewed as provided below.” At the 1972 Annual Council, guidelines were established to ensure that separation of church and state not be weakened. These guidelines, applicable in the United States, are summarized here as they now appear with minor editorial revisions on pages 229–232 of the NAD Working Policy (1992/1993): “Primary Objectives Must Be Maintained— 1. Every institution of the church—educational, medical, publishing, etc.—is an instrument vital to the realization of church aims and is operated for that purpose. “2. All involvements of church institutions with governments, business, societies, and individuals which would inhibit the achievement of religious objectives shall be avoided. “3. Only such support for church institutions and programs as will aid in reaching institutional objectives without subverting their distinctly spiritual goals shall be considered or accepted. “4. If support jeopardizes the unique purposes of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, its policies, or the emphases of a church institution or the position of the general church body, adjustments must be made to safeguard the purposes of the institution. Failing this, the support must be terminated. “Credibility With the Church, the Public, and the Government— 1. Policy and practice will cause church leadership to state and to publish its commitment to the God-given principles of Christian education and its uncompromising determination to achieve fully the distinctive goals of all institutions of the church. “a. To ensure the greatest possible degree of credibility and confidence within the church, the church leadership shall “1) Inform the church membership fully regarding the basic principles of separation between church and state, the provisions on church policy with respect to this matter, and the guidelines adopted to safeguard the integrity of church institutions, “2) Make periodic reports indicating the degree of involvement (financial and otherwise) of church institutions with the various levels and agencies of government, and “3) Fully inform the church concerning the possible problems connected with the acceptance of government funds. “b. To ensure the highest level of integrity with the government and private corporations, institutions shall file with the granting agency or department the approved statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Philosophy of Higher Education (or the approved abstract) with each application for loans, grants, or other financial favors. When a number of institutions apply for support grants from the same agencies on the federal level, the North American Division shall file the appropriate statement with such agency or agencies.” The 1972 Annual Council action for North America continues: “The above limitations shall not be construed to prejudice the acceptance of the regular functions of the public health departments, such as nurses’ services, vaccinations, inoculations, or tuberculosis surveys; nor shall it forbid the acquisition, for a consideration, of government surplus; nor shall it prejudice the acceptance of government research grants to, or contracts with, colleges and universities whereby the government pays for specific projects and where said grant or contract is limited to the assigned project and does not interfere with the stated policies, objectives, and programs of the school. “Any government aid program not specifically covered in the provisions above shall not be accepted unless and until it is approved by the institution’s operating board, and the union and North American Division committee. “Medical institutions are unique among Adventist institutions, since they serve all individuals irrespective of religious conviction, do not require acceptance of religious instruction, and render a recognized service to the medical needs of the communities in which they are located; therefore, government grants for capital development may be considered. However, it shall be understood that a grant shall be received only after careful study by the operating board, and approval by the unions, and the North American Division Legislation and Religious Liberty Committee, and the North American Division Committee. “The North American Division Committee shall appoint a continuing representative committee to study general policies on church and state relationships, and particular problems, for early consideration and report to the North American Division Committee.”