Religious Freedom: Power to Grow, Unify, and Flourish

Introduction

We all want the world to be a better place, a place of peace, human dignity, a place of hope where humankind can flourish. Isn’t that why we are here today?

I am optimistic, for scripture promises that God’s people will “flourish” in the last days. ¹ Given the abundant evidence connecting religious freedom to human flourishing, ² it stands to reason that this prophesied flourishing will go hand in hand with the free exercise of religion.

Today I speak about religious freedom through the doctrinal understanding provided by scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a follower of Jesus Christ. Our doctrine is stated simply with these words: 

“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” ³

The topic of religious freedom is personal for me. Several of my ancestors suffered for their religious beliefs.

One of them is Christian J. Larsen, my third-great-grandfather. He was one of the first to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denmark. He was baptized in 1850. It was not easy in those days to be a member of the Church there, for they were severely persecuted. 

Despite the persecution, Christian’s dedication to his newfound faith was unwavering. After joining proselyting efforts in his homeland, Christian was assigned by Church leaders to serve a mission in Norway. The authorities in Norway took umbrage with his preaching and threw him into jail. He spent the next six months there, singing hymns with three other jailed missionaries to keep their spirits up. The county judge and other local officials treated him (and his cellmates) as criminals and refused to engage in any meaningful communication with them. 

We have a brief record of an interrogation of Christian during his 1852 incarceration:

“For what purpose have you come to this country?” [asked] the officials. …

“To teach the people the true gospel of Jesus Christ,” Christian said.

“Would you return to Denmark, if you were liberated from prison?”

[His response:] “Not till God shall release me through His servants who sent me here.”

[They pressed:] “Will you refrain from preaching and baptizing?”

“If you or any of your priests can convince me that our doctrine and faith is not in accordance with the doctrines of Christ,” said Christian, “for I desire to obtain salvation and to do the will of God.”

[To which the chief interrogator retorted:] “We consider it beneath the dignity of our priests to argue with you. I now forbid you to mislead any more souls by your false doctrines.” ⁴

No freedom of religion there. Instead, the state repressed his religion in favor of the state religion. Ironically, as a boomerang effect, this may have repressed the development of the state itself, especially when one considers the thousands of people who emigrated from Denmark to distant shores to practice their religion. We will never know what freedom of religion at the time may have brought to these nations in terms of peace and human flourishing.

Many of you have similar stories: people who suffered in the past—or who suffer in the present—for their religious belief. 

With respect to such injustices, theProphet Joseph Smith declared, 

"I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves." ⁵

Our Heavenly Father Wants His Children to Enjoy the Blessings of Liberty.

God wants all humankind—His children—to enjoy the blessings of liberty. As it says in Latter-day Saint scripture, “It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.” ⁶ This applies to the abhorrent practice of slavery, as well as to individuals subject to the power of the state without fair representation. And God has inspired peoples and nations to protect religious freedom. 

Freedom is valued by God because it gives us, His children, our best opportunity to exercise our moral agency—“the power to decide and to act” ⁷ —for good. The opportunity and ability to choose good against opposition is our best opportunity to grow in character. And we are on earth to grow in character, to become better people tomorrow than we are today. To the degree we choose good--especially when it is hard to do--we can grow “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” ⁸

As Dallin H. Oaks, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has stated: 

“The most desirable condition for the exercise of that agency is maximum freedom for men and women to act according to their individual choices.” ⁹

Religious Freedom—Integral to Liberty—is Best Preserved by Law

Religious freedom is best protected when it is recognized and supported by the law. And the law serves the interest of the nation best when it protects the free exercise of religion. This is so because the free exercise of religion can move our thinking and our decision making to a higher plane, one that can inspire us to choose to create peace and build community. Knowing that religion has sometimes been used to repress others in their distinct, minority religious belief only emphasizes the importance of legal protection for the free exercise of religion.

You see, law permeates and orders society. In a free society, laws are created by representatives of the people. Given that any free society is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” ¹⁰ the quality of the law and societal order depends upon the values and character of the people. Thus, for the good of the people and their nations, it is vital that honest and upright values be cultivated in the minds and hearts of the people. In short, much depends upon the people learning to love their neighbors as themselves. ¹¹

The beauty of a written constitution is that it provides not only a legal, policy, institutional, and political framework—but it also provides (to quote author Yuval Levin) “a union and unity framework.” ¹² In short, a constitution demands that “the people” or diverse background and religious practice work together and become unified through persistently, doggedly seeking common ground.

Religious freedom is good for the peoples of the earth and for their nations

To work together to forge common ground requires that the people be guided and motivated by principle, not political expediency. It requires that we understand that “the practical meaning of unity in the political life of a free society, [is that] unity does not mean thinking alike; unity means acting together.” ¹³

Religious freedom is our first, last, and always best hope of cultivating good and worthy principles in the minds and souls of “the people.” Cultivating these principles enables us to “act together,” to learn to differ without demonizing, disagree without being disagreeable—to work with others with opposing views to forge common ground instead of seeking to dominate. ¹⁴

John Adams observed:

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” ¹⁵

Freedom of religion is the first freedom in the United States’ Bill of Rights because it is foundational and essential to perpetuating an enduring free society. 

It may be for this reason that Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.” 

Religious freedom provides the moral traction a nation and its people need to flourish. Religion freely exercised is uniquely capable of turning hearts and minds to God and to see others as His children who He loves just as He loves us. Religion can inspire and enlarge the human mind, heart, and soul. It has the potential to inspire us to do the unenforceable, such as fidelity, honesty, virtue, patience, service, self-sacrifice, forbearance, kindness, and respect. Nothing else can or will do it.

To quote Jonathan Rauch, an atheist who advocates for more religion:

“Social scientists have produced a mountain of evidence that religion is good for you.” Organized religious participation correlates with greater happiness and well-being, longer life, strong immune systems and lower blood pressure, lower crime and drug use, and greater civic engagement. Most people cannot reap the same benefits at home. “It is the communal forms of religious participation, rather than merely private practices, that most powerfully affect health.” Other research suggests that the decline of religious participation may be an important factor in the alarming rise in the United States of deaths of despair.” ¹⁶

Because the free exercise of religion is indisputably healthy for individuals and families—for “the people”—it is healthy for the nation! Nations with religious freedom are more apt to flourish as people of faith freely exercise their faith in building their nation in harmony with others. The President of our church, Dallin H. Oaks said: “Speaking from a religious perspective, I affirm that followers of Christ have a duty to … seek harmony and peace. … We should not expect or seek total dominance for our own positions.” ¹⁷(Emphasis added.)

Elder Neil L. Anderson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches: “Reciprocity and empathy in society are vital because the majority and the minority often trade places. What is popular at one time becomes unpopular at another. The cultural or religious group that enjoys privilege today may lose it tomorrow. Power is not permanent. So, a religious freedom that protects the little guy is also the best security for the big guy. Safety is not in numbers; safety is in justice. Therefore, religious freedom only for some is really religious freedom for none.” ¹⁸

Thus, religion should support and encourage us to work together to forge common ground—even if we must “render … unto Ceasar” (the government) the recognition of rights with which we disagree. In working to find solutions through negotiation and mutual accommodation, religion strengthens the nation and the nation strengthens religion. It is by working together that we find more durable, doable, unified solutions. And it is free exercise of religion that can inform and inspire the human soul to make the effort.

It is Our Duty and Opportunity as People of Faith to be Peacemakers

The right of religious freedom is not something to hang on the wall, as a certificate or a medal won in an athletic competition. No, religious freedom—the free exercise of religion—exhorts us to live our religion and respect others as they exercise their right to do so. Importantly, it invites us to exercise our faith in our daily living, in our homes, and to engage with others in our communities, in our nations. 

As President Dallin H. Oaks teaches: 

… We must pray for the Lord to guide and bless all nations and their leaders. This is part of our article of faith. Being subject to presidents or rulers of course poses no obstacle to our opposing individual laws or policies. It does require that we exercise our influence civilly and peacefully within the framework of our constitutions and applicable laws. On contested issues, we should seek to moderate and unify. ²⁰

Far from being bystanders as people of faith, we are to be players on the field of human endeavor. Exercising our right to the free exercise of religion invigorates both our faith and our respective nations. Our duty is, simply stated, to “seek to moderate and unify,” to again quote President Oaks. In short, we should be peacemakers. 

President Russell M. Nelson, former President and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, observed: 

“Vulgarity, faultfinding, and evil speaking of others are all too common. Too many pundits, politicians, entertainers, and other influencers throw insults constantly. I am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign, and vilify anyone who does not agree with them. 

“Many seem eager to damage another’s reputation with pathetic and pithy barbs! Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.” ²¹

He continued: 

“True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers.” ²²

This means action on our part to “interact with others in a higher, holier way,” using the words of President Nelson. This is not passivity; rather, it is active engagement. He continued: 

“Now, I am not talking about “peace at any price.” I am talking about treating others in ways that are consistent with … always remember[ing] the Savior. In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.” ²³

So, let’s engage and interact with others as an extension of our faith, remembering that “the gospel net is the largest net in the world. God has invited all to come unto Him, ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female.’ There is room for everyone. However, there is no room for prejudice, condemnation, or contention of any kind.” ²⁴

Christian J. Larsen, Religious Freedom, and Human Flourishing

Returning to the story of my third-great-grandfather Christian J. Larsen: he was finally released from jail and returned to Denmark. But before he left Norway, he baptized a religious dissident by the name of Johan Andreas Jensen, who he had met and taught in jail. Like Christian and thousands of others, Johan emigrated to the United States, so he could freely exercise his religion. And he became the great-grandfather of President Russell M. Nelson, whose teaching on being peacemakers I have quoted. President Nelson’s religious teachings have helped millions of humans to flourish, including me and my family. And millions more will flourish to the degree we take to heart President Nelson’s charge to be peacemakers.

My invitation today is that we take the long view as we actively live our faith and engage with others as peacemakers in our fractious world. This probably means listening before speaking. Our efforts can resonate generationally, just as my great grandfather’s efforts did. As we seek to “moderate and unify” according to just and holy principles, we can help lift our families, communities, and nations to a higher, better place in a way that unifies, not divides, society. 

As we weave faith, morality, love, and fairness into the political tapestry of the nations in which we live, religion will thrive, and the people and their nations will flourish.

In so doing, we will be peacemakers. And our children and their children will live in a higher-functioning world of peace and human flourishing. 

Jesus Christ lives. He is the “founder of peace.” ²⁵ And He is the Prince of Peace ²⁶ who can help us become “repairer[s] of the breach.” ²⁷

May we follow His example, live His teachings, and experience peace, even in a world of tribulation. ²⁸

1.  Doctrine and Covenants 49:25.

2.  Elizabeth A. Clark, “The Impact of Religion and Religious Organizations,” BYU Law Review 49, no. 1 (2024), 20. Religion and freedom of conscience and belief generate significant benefits to individuals, families, communities, and nations. This is particularly so when religious pluralism thrives.

   Religious individuals and families tend to have better physical and mental health, have less use of illegal drugs and alcohol, have higher educational achievements leading to more stable personal and family financial situations, commit less crime, and have lower divorce rates and fewer suicides, to name just a few. They have higher civic engagement in helping the poor and the needy in their communities. Overall, these individuals and families enjoy a higher level of satisfaction with their lives.

   Many positive benefits of religion and freedom of conscience and belief are also manifested in the public life of communities and nations. Communities and countries where religious pluralism is protected have stronger citizen participation in public life, higher support for the democratic process, less crime, and more enhancement of individual rights. Racial and sexual discrimination are greatly reduced in these communities and nations. One author observed that “religious pluralism helps develop ‘generosity [and] … law-abidingness.’ Religious organizations promote peacemaking, humanitarian initiatives, educational opportunities, and medical care for those who cannot afford such care.” CITE In short, when religious beliefs are protected, individuals, families, communities, and nations are greatly improved.

3. Articles of Faith 1:11

4. Christian Larsen, Journal, Nov. 12, 1852; Dorius, Dorius Heritage, 43–45; as quoted in Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 2, No Unhallowed Hand, 1846–1893 (2020), 171.

5. Joseph Smith, in History of the Church 5:498–99.

6. Doctrine and Covenants 101:79.

7. Id.

8. Ephesians 4:13.

9. Dallin H. Oaks “Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution,” 106.

10. Abraham Lincoln, “Gettysburg Address,” Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Nov.19, 1863.

11. What but religious freedom inspires us to value, work with, and listen to another whose perspective diverges from ours? What else moves us to see life from a higher perspective far beyond our self-interest and instant gratification? What else inspires us to put off our natural, self-centered conceits and instead seek the interest of the whole? 

12. Yuval Levin, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again (2024), 15.

13. Yuval Levin, American Covenant, 3. Levin continues: “The system they [the delegates] constructed presumes an idea of unity that takes … multiplicity for granted and attenuates disunity through common action. … The system was plainly intended to help forge common ground in American life, and not just occupy such ground. … Social peace … [in our pluralistic society] … cannot be achieved by conquest or surrender but only by mutual accommodation. It is the condition of differing without rejecting one another’s legitimacy—of disputing without being at war.”

14.  It bears mentions that religious belief played a significant role in the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Equally important, the drafters recognized that the free exercise of religion was necessary to secure and safeguard that hard-won liberty.

15. John Adams, The Works of John Adams, ed. Charles Francis Adams, vol. 9 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1854), p. 229.

16. Jonathan Rauch, Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy (2025), 17. Quoting John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge.

17. Dallin H. Oaks, “Religious Freedom in an International Context” (address given at Sapienza University in Rome, Dec. 14. 2021), newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

18. Neil L. Andersen, The Human Dimension of Religious Freedom, Sixth Annual Conference of the African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ACLARS) (May 20, 2018)

19. Luke 20:25; see verses 22–26.

20. Dallin H. Oaks, “Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution,” 107.

21. Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, May 2023, 98.

22. Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” 99.

23. Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” 101.

24. Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” 101.

25. Mosiah 15:18.

26. See Isaiah 9:6; see also 2 Nephi 19:6.

27. Isaiah 58:12, see 11-12

28. See John 16:33.