Religious Freedom

Before his death 50 years ago, John Courtney Murray, S.J., the preeminent Catholic theologian on democracy and religious freedom, wrote that people: of all religions and of no religion must live together in conditions of justice, peace and civic friendship, under equitable laws that protect the whole range of human rights, notably including the right to religious freedom. It is therefore necessary for the Church to show the way to justice and peace in society… The implications of Murray’s call to action in our polarized politics and challenged Church will be explored in a one-on-one conversation with Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, who authored the book The Search for an American Public Theology: The Contribution of John Courtney Murray (Paulist Press, 1989). The bishop will then be joined by former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Rogers and Professor of Law and Associate Dean at the University of Notre Dame Richard Garnett for further discussion of faith, the common good, and democracy. These panelists will answer several key questions: November 1, 2017 | What are the legacy and lessons of Murray’s groundbreaking work on faith and democracy? How are religious freedom and the common good threatened and advanced today? How do these principles challenge us in a nation led by President Trump and in a Church led by Pope Francis? John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, will moderate the Dialogue. This Dialogue is organized in partnership with the Democracy Fund and follows a day-long academic conference at Georgetown on “John Courtney Murray Today: Reflections in the Fiftieth Anniversary Year of his Death.”

Before his death 50 years ago, John Courtney Murray, S.J., the preeminent Catholic theologian on democracy and religious freedom, wrote that people: of all religions and of no religion must live together in conditions of justice, peace and civic friendship, under equitable laws that protect the whole range of human rights, notably including the right to religious freedom. It is therefore necessary for the Church to show the way to justice and peace in society… The implications of Murray’s call to action in our polarized politics and challenged Church will be explored in a one-on-one conversation with Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, who authored the book The Search for an American Public Theology: The Contribution of John Courtney Murray (Paulist Press, 1989). The bishop will then be joined by former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Rogers and Professor of Law and Associate Dean at the University of Notre Dame Richard Garnett for further discussion of faith, the common good, and democracy. These panelists will answer several key questions: November 1, 2017 | What are the legacy and lessons of Murray’s groundbreaking work on faith and democracy? How are religious freedom and the common good threatened and advanced today? How do these principles challenge us in a nation led by President Trump and in a Church led by Pope Francis? John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, will moderate the Dialogue. This Dialogue is organized in partnership with the Democracy Fund and follows a day-long academic conference at Georgetown on “John Courtney Murray Today: Reflections in the Fiftieth Anniversary Year of his Death.”

April 15, 2009 | What role should the promotion of international religious freedom play in American foreign policy? This event convened a panel of three experts -- Akbar Ahmed, Allen Hertzke, and Andrew Natsios -- for a conversation with Thomas Farr about his new book, World of Faith and Freedom: Why Religious Liberty is Vital to American National Security (2008). The book argues that the advancement of religious freedom should be a central component of US foreign policy, but that it has been neglected over the past decade, despite the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act by Congress in 1998. The conversation touched on several related issues, including relations with the Islamic world, links to international development policy, and the emerging stance of the Obama administration. The event was co-sponsored by the Tocqueville Forum on the Roots of American Democracy.

July 28, 2016 | To inform policymakers about the continuing travail of religious and ethnic minorities threatened by the Islamic State, and to galvanize long-term thinking about addressing this crisis, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a daylong conference at Georgetown University. During the conference, representatives of the targeted communities shared their personal experiences of religious persecution and their recommendations for policymakers. They were joined by distinguished policymakers, activists, and scholars. This event was supported by the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

July 28, 2016 | To inform policymakers about the continuing travail of religious and ethnic minorities threatened by the Islamic State, and to galvanize long-term thinking about addressing this crisis, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a daylong conference at Georgetown University. During the conference, representatives of the targeted communities shared their personal experiences of religious persecution and their recommendations for policymakers. They were joined by distinguished policymakers, activists, and scholars. This event was supported by the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

July 28, 2016 | To inform policymakers about the continuing travail of religious and ethnic minorities threatened by the Islamic State, and to galvanize long-term thinking about addressing this crisis, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a daylong conference at Georgetown University. During the conference, representatives of the targeted communities shared their personal experiences of religious persecution and their recommendations for policymakers. They were joined by distinguished policymakers, activists, and scholars. This event was supported by the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

July 28, 2016 | To inform policymakers about the continuing travail of religious and ethnic minorities threatened by the Islamic State, and to galvanize long-term thinking about addressing this crisis, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a daylong conference at Georgetown University. During the conference, representatives of the targeted communities shared their personal experiences of religious persecution and their recommendations for policymakers. They were joined by distinguished policymakers, activists, and scholars. This event was supported by the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

July 28, 2016 | To inform policymakers about the continuing travail of religious and ethnic minorities threatened by the Islamic State, and to galvanize long-term thinking about addressing this crisis, the Religious Freedom Project hosted a daylong conference at Georgetown University. During the conference, representatives of the targeted communities shared their personal experiences of religious persecution and their recommendations for policymakers. They were joined by distinguished policymakers, activists, and scholars. This event was supported by the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.

November 15, 2016 | This conference explored the wide-ranging political, economic, and social dimensions of religious freedom and their enduring impact on the global common good. The RFP's 13 associate scholars and other experts from across the academy addressed a range of key questions about the broader implications of religious freedom. Our symposium explored the following: To what extent is religious liberty critical for human flourishing? When and how does it contribute to economic prosperity, democratization, and peace? What challenges face religious communities living under repressive governments or hostile social forces? How is the persecution of religion related to other infringements of basic human rights? What is the relationship between religious freedom and violent religious extremism, and is there a role for religious freedom in efforts to undermine radicalization and counter violent religious extremism and terrorism over the long term? Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivered a keynote address on the promotion of international religious freedom as an urgent global imperative.

November 15, 2016 | This conference explored the wide-ranging political, economic, and social dimensions of religious freedom and their enduring impact on the global common good. The RFP's 13 associate scholars and other experts from across the academy addressed a range of key questions about the broader implications of religious freedom. Our symposium explored the following: To what extent is religious liberty critical for human flourishing? When and how does it contribute to economic prosperity, democratization, and peace? What challenges face religious communities living under repressive governments or hostile social forces? How is the persecution of religion related to other infringements of basic human rights? What is the relationship between religious freedom and violent religious extremism, and is there a role for religious freedom in efforts to undermine radicalization and counter violent religious extremism and terrorism over the long term? Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivered a keynote address on the promotion of international religious freedom as an urgent global imperative.

Jun 6, 2017 | Two former ambassadors charged with advancing international religious freedom, David Saperstein of the United States and Andrew Bennett of Canada, as well as a sitting Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Kristina Arriaga de Bucholz, discussed best practices in international religious freedom promotion. Key questions included: What can we learn from the efforts of the U.S. and Canadian governments to advance religious freedom? What foreign policy tools have been most effective, and which have been counter-productive? The conversation addressed the argument that international religious freedom policy can both serve American and Canadian geopolitical interests while at the same time help secure international peace and stability. The panelists also addressed criticisms of religious freedom policy, including the common perception that religious freedom reflects a parochial Western agenda that divides and destabilizes non-Western societies.

November 15, 2016 | This conference explored the wide-ranging political, economic, and social dimensions of religious freedom and their enduring impact on the global common good. The RFP's 13 associate scholars and other experts from across the academy addressed a range of key questions about the broader implications of religious freedom. Our symposium explored the following: To what extent is religious liberty critical for human flourishing? When and how does it contribute to economic prosperity, democratization, and peace? What challenges face religious communities living under repressive governments or hostile social forces? How is the persecution of religion related to other infringements of basic human rights? What is the relationship between religious freedom and violent religious extremism, and is there a role for religious freedom in efforts to undermine radicalization and counter violent religious extremism and terrorism over the long term? Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivered a keynote address on the promotion of international religious freedom as an urgent global imperative.

November 15, 2016 | This conference explored the wide-ranging political, economic, and social dimensions of religious freedom and their enduring impact on the global common good. The RFP's 13 associate scholars and other experts from across the academy addressed a range of key questions about the broader implications of religious freedom. Our symposium explored the following: To what extent is religious liberty critical for human flourishing? When and how does it contribute to economic prosperity, democratization, and peace? What challenges face religious communities living under repressive governments or hostile social forces? How is the persecution of religion related to other infringements of basic human rights? What is the relationship between religious freedom and violent religious extremism, and is there a role for religious freedom in efforts to undermine radicalization and counter violent religious extremism and terrorism over the long term? Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivered a keynote address on the promotion of international religious freedom as an urgent global imperative.

November 15, 2016 | This conference explored the wide-ranging political, economic, and social dimensions of religious freedom and their enduring impact on the global common good. The RFP's 13 associate scholars and other experts from across the academy addressed a range of key questions about the broader implications of religious freedom. Our symposium explored the following: To what extent is religious liberty critical for human flourishing? When and how does it contribute to economic prosperity, democratization, and peace? What challenges face religious communities living under repressive governments or hostile social forces? How is the persecution of religion related to other infringements of basic human rights? What is the relationship between religious freedom and violent religious extremism, and is there a role for religious freedom in efforts to undermine radicalization and counter violent religious extremism and terrorism over the long term? Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivered a keynote address on the promotion of international religious freedom as an urgent global imperative.

Several European countries, the EU, and Canada have recently addressed religious freedom in their foreign policies. Given that US policy is already shaped by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) passed by Congress, the potential exists for transatlantic cooperation in promoting religious freedom. However, differences among Western democracies are significant. This dialogue—the first in a year-long series on IRFA policy—aims to identify these differences and find ways to accommodate or overcome them in the urgent task of advancing international religious freedom. This day-long event featured many speakers from academia and the policy world, including one of the world's leading sociologists, Peter Berger of Boston University; New York Times columnist David Brooks; and David Saperstein, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

April 21, 2008 This event was the second in a series of three symposia on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. Its focus was on the impact of US international religious freedom policy, with particular emphasis on its place in overall US strategy and the response of the Muslim world. Other symposia addressed the origins of the policy (February 2008) and its future under a new administration (October 2008). The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement.

October 9-10, 2013 Since its inception in 2011 the Religious Freedom Project has conducted a wide ranging conversation among policymakers, scholars, and the media on the meaning and value of religious freedom. This conversation has yielded a great deal of light, and, truth be told, a fair amount of heat (religious freedom is, after all, a controversial subject). A two-day capstone conference looked back over the project's first three years, and looked forward as well. It addressed the relationship between religious freedom and human flourishing. Top experts engaged in a series of rich and dynamic discussions around the proposition that religious freedom is not only a universal right but also a universal good—a key ingredient in the flourishing of individuals and societies everywhere.

Several European countries, the EU, and Canada have recently addressed religious freedom in their foreign policies. Given that US policy is already shaped by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) passed by Congress, the potential exists for transatlantic cooperation in promoting religious freedom. However, differences among Western democracies are significant. This dialogue—the first in a year-long series on IRFA policy—aims to identify these differences and find ways to accommodate or overcome them in the urgent task of advancing international religious freedom. This day-long event featured many speakers from academia and the policy world, including one of the world's leading sociologists, Peter Berger of Boston University; New York Times columnist David Brooks; and David Saperstein, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

Several European countries, the EU, and Canada have recently addressed religious freedom in their foreign policies. Given that US policy is already shaped by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) passed by Congress, the potential exists for transatlantic cooperation in promoting religious freedom. However, differences among Western democracies are significant. This dialogue—the first in a year-long series on IRFA policy—aims to identify these differences and find ways to accommodate or overcome them in the urgent task of advancing international religious freedom. This day-long event featured many speakers from academia and the policy world, including one of the world's leading sociologists, Peter Berger of Boston University; New York Times columnist David Brooks; and David Saperstein, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

December 5, 2011 Are religious people happier and healthier than their non-religious neighbors or is association with religion deleterious to one's health and happiness? Though these questions have sparked debate among scientists and philosophers for centuries, serious inquiry into the complex associations between religion, health, and happiness date back only a few decades. As part of its standing seminar series on the relationship between religion and the human experience, the Religious Freedom Project invited two pioneers in the field of the relationship between religion and health to debate these and other questions at this interdisciplinary seminar. Although the research has shown an association between the presence of religion in a person's life and an increase in the positive measures of health and happiness, important questions such as the causal mechanism of the relationship and the variance between religions remain to be fully understood.

October 20, 2011 What happens when a government places restrictions on religious freedom? What does a society lose if religion is outlawed or persecuted? The Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs hosted sociologists Brian Grim and Roger Finke as they addressed these and other questions raised in their new book, The Price of Freedom Denied. Examining the worldwide state of religious freedom, Grim and Finke conclude that circumscribing or delimiting religious expression in the name of freedom serves neither the interests of the government nor the polity to whom they are responsible for protection. Rather than protecting citizens from religion in the public sphere, the authors find that religious repression or restriction is instead linked to persecution, radicalization, and potentially violence. The event included a response from Jose Casanova and was moderated by Eric Patterson.

April 21, 2008 This event was the second in a series of three symposia on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. Its focus was on the impact of US international religious freedom policy, with particular emphasis on its place in overall US strategy and the response of the Muslim world. Other symposia addressed the origins of the policy (February 2008) and its future under a new administration (October 2008). The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement.

The Berkley Center hosts Tariq Ramadan to speak and answer questions on Islam and democracy, Muslim minorities in Western Europe, and Catholic-Muslim relations.

The Berkley Center hosts Tariq Ramadan to speak and answer questions on Islam and democracy, Muslim minorities in Western Europe, and Catholic-Muslim relations.

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

The Berkley Center hosts Tariq Ramadan to speak and answer questions on Islam and democracy, Muslim minorities in Western Europe, and Catholic-Muslim relations.

February 10, 2015 The integration of Muslims in British society is generating a heated public debate that is echoing the broader European debate on the legitimacy of Islam in the West. Exacerbated by the Paris attacks, debates have intensified on the compatibility of Muslim religious practices with secular values as well as on the peaceful coexistence of Muslims with believers of other faiths or non-believers. University of Birmingham Professor Francis Davis addressed the interactions between different faith communities in England and how they can contribute to more efficient social policies and improvement of civility. The Berkley Center's Jocelyne Cesari moderated.

This conference examines the historic and emerging differences in how religious freedom was conceived and has been implemented on both sides of the Atlantic.

April 9, 2008 In this discussion with President John J. DeGioia, then-Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) explained how he engages with domestic and global politics as a person of faith. Brownback has taken the lead in numerous legislative battles in defense of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, beginning at the moment of conception. On issues of religious freedom, Brownback is deeply "concerned about the tendency of the courts in recent years to weaken the First Amendment rights of religious groups or individuals to freely express their faith." In foreign policy, he believes that the "US remains the only superpower nation in the world. With great power comes great responsibility, and we, as Americans, must continue to use that power for good—to encourage political, economic, and religious freedom throughout the world." This event is one in a series on Religion and the 2008 Election, which is part of the Berkley Center's project on Religion and US Politics in Global Perspective.

May 30, 2013 The 2013 National Religious Freedom Conference, sponsored by the American Religious Freedom Program of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, brought faith community leaders, religious freedom policy experts, and elected officials together in an effort to promote and defend religious freedom in the United States. As part of this conference, RFP organized a panel entitled "Threats to Religious Freedom in the United States and Europe: Concerns of Majority and Minority Communities", which addressed increasing restrictions on religious freedom in the United States and the troubling possible future trajectory Europe represents for an American audience. Timothy Shah moderated this provocative discussion, and panelists included David Little, Jasjit Singh, Hannah Smith, and Roger Trigg.

April 15, 2015 Among the most ominous developments of the twenty-first century have been the dramatic, global rise of religious persecution and the decline of religious liberty. The most violent manifestations of the crisis have occurred in the Middle East, South and East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. However, religious freedom is under increasing pressure in the West as well. And yet, Western democracies are showing increasing interest in developing diplomatic strategies to advance international religious freedom. Two of the most prominent advocates for advancing religious freedom in foreign policy, Baroness Elizabeth Berridge and former Congressman Frank Wolf, will discuss how Western democracies can advance international religious freedom. They will also explore how internal disarray over the meaning and reach of religious liberty affects the ability of nations to advance religious freedom in their foreign policies. The Berkley Center's Tom Farr will moderate.

February 25, 2008 This event was the first in a series of three symposia on religious freedom on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. This first symposium addressed the origins of US IRF policy in both domestic politics and international developments. Subsequent symposia, held in April and October 2008, discussed the development of that policy to date and its possible future directions. The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and the Institute for Global Engagement.

In recent years, several issues have polarized the American people, including same-sex marriage and Obamacare's HHS contraception services mandate. Discussions on these topics are naturally heated, but some fear they have taken an illiberal turn and argue that religiously-based viewpoints are being met with increasing intolerance. This event explored the potential impact of this phenomenon on religious freedom and the role of free expression in a liberal society. Is the desire to shut down debate on controversial issues leading some Americans to abandon the liberal value of the free exercise of religion for everyone? Moderated by Ken Starr, this conversation featured special guest Kirsten Powers of USA Today and Fox News, who authored a book on this subject titled The Silencing, as well as Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE).

December 13-14, 2013 From Cairo and Damascus to Tehran and Beijing, religious freedom is under siege. Ironically, it is Christianity—a faith that contributed decisively to the rise of religious liberty—that now finds itself increasingly persecuted around the world. In view of this global crisis, Georgetown University’s Religious Freedom Project hosted a two-day conference in Rome highlighting Christianity’s contributions to the understanding and practice of freedom for all people. The conference presented findings from a two-year study by dozens of scholars concerning Christianity’s contributions to freedom. This event was co-sponsored by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and made possible by a generous grant from the Historical Society's Religion and Innovation in Human Affairs Program.

July 16, 2015 Today, 77 percent of the world’s population lives in religiously repressive countries, and governmental and social restrictions on religion continue to rise. This conference examined the severe and growing challenges facing minority religions around the world and gave special attention to how religious persecution affects women and girls. A central question was whether and how US international religious freedom policy can improve conditions for religious minorities abroad and the societies in which they live.

April 21, 2008 This event was the second in a series of three symposia on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. Its focus was on the impact of US international religious freedom policy, with particular emphasis on its place in overall US strategy and the response of the Muslim world. Other symposia addressed the origins of the policy (February 2008) and its future under a new administration (October 2008). The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement.

April 21, 2008 This event was the second in a series of three symposia on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. Its focus was on the impact of US international religious freedom policy, with particular emphasis on its place in overall US strategy and the response of the Muslim world. Other symposia addressed the origins of the policy (February 2008) and its future under a new administration (October 2008). The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement.

July 16, 2015 Today, 77 percent of the world’s population lives in religiously repressive countries, and governmental and social restrictions on religion continue to rise. This conference examined the severe and growing challenges facing minority religions around the world and gave special attention to how religious persecution affects women and girls. A central question was whether and how US international religious freedom policy can improve conditions for religious minorities abroad and the societies in which they live.

October 24, 2012 The Religious Freedom Project hosted a discussion of two books, which chronicle the history of religion’s role in American foreign policy, and speculate about future threats to religious liberty. The morning session addressed Sword of the Spirit Shield of Faith, Andrew Preston’s sweeping history of religion’s role in U.S. foreign policy. From colonial times through the Reagan Administration and beyond, Preston (Cambridge University) makes the case that religion’s role in shaping American foreign policy has been both pivotal and under-appreciated. Sword of the Spirit Shield of Faith is Preston’s attempt to fill this critical gap in the diplomatic history of the United States. The afternoon session addressed Challenges to Religious Liberty in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Gerard Bradley (Notre Dame).

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

October 10, 2008 The Berkley Center hosted the third of three symposia commemorating the tenth anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act in October 2008. Panelists addressed U.S. IRF policy as it relates to democracy promotion, civil society, religion-based terrorism, law (domestic and international) and public diplomacy. The previous two symposia, on the origins of the Act and its implementation, were held in February and April 2008. The series culminated in a brief, "Recommendations for the Obama Administration," that was distributed widely within the policy community during the first half of 2009. The seminars and the publication were supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Engagement. The John Templeton Foundation provided additional funding.

February 25, 2008 This event was the first in a series of three symposia on religious freedom on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act of 1998, which mandated the promotion of religious liberty around the world as an element of US foreign policy. This first symposium addressed the origins of US IRF policy in both domestic politics and international developments. Subsequent symposia, held in April and October 2008, discussed the development of that policy to date and its possible future directions. The seminar series was supported by the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs and the Institute for Global Engagement.

December 13-14, 2013 From Cairo and Damascus to Tehran and Beijing, religious freedom is under siege. Ironically, it is Christianity—a faith that contributed decisively to the rise of religious liberty—that now finds itself increasingly persecuted around the world. In view of this global crisis, Georgetown University’s Religious Freedom Project hosted a two-day conference in Rome highlighting Christianity’s contributions to the understanding and practice of freedom for all people. The conference presented findings from a two-year study by dozens of scholars concerning Christianity’s contributions to freedom. This event was co-sponsored by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and made possible by a generous grant from the Historical Society's Religion and Innovation in Human Affairs Program.

February 12, 2013 Does religious freedom help societies flourish? Does the freedom of religious individuals and institutions to put their faith into practice make a difference to the economic and political well-being of the world's people, especially the very poorest? As legal controversy swirls around religious freedom in America and Europe with the Obamacare contraception mandate and battles over gay marriage, the broader social dimensions of religious freedom are often forgotten. A recent Pew Forum report showed that 75 percent of people in the world live in nations where religious liberty is severely restricted. Those nations are highly vulnerable to extremism, social discord, poverty, and corruption. Rick Warren, best-selling author and founding pastor of Saddleback Church, discussed these and other topics in a wide-ranging conversation with Timothy Shah, associate director of the Religious Freedom Project.

January 31, 2012 What is the effect of blasphemy and apostasy laws on basic religious and political freedoms of Muslim-majority countries? What happens when Western governments and bodies like the United Nations begin passing similarly motivated restrictions on speech? These and other questions were addressed by Paul Marshall and Nina Shea as they discussed their new book, Silenced: How Apostasy and Blasphemy Codes are Choking Freedom Worldwide. Looking at the experience of hundreds of victims, from political dissidents to journalists to artists and religious reformers, the authors examined the political effects of such laws, as well as non-governmental fatwas and vigilante intimidation, on Muslim societies. The event included a response by John Voll, Professor of Islamic history and associate director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

October 24, 2012 The Religious Freedom Project hosted a discussion of two books, which chronicle the history of religion’s role in American foreign policy, and speculate about future threats to religious liberty. The morning session addressed Sword of the Spirit Shield of Faith, Andrew Preston’s sweeping history of religion’s role in U.S. foreign policy. From colonial times through the Reagan Administration and beyond, Preston (Cambridge University) makes the case that religion’s role in shaping American foreign policy has been both pivotal and under-appreciated. Sword of the Spirit Shield of Faith is Preston’s attempt to fill this critical gap in the diplomatic history of the United States. The afternoon session addressed Challenges to Religious Liberty in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Gerard Bradley (Notre Dame).