Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Christian Social Thought

Today is Lord Acton’s 188th birthday. His philosophy should guide our next two centuries

Today, January 10, 2022, is Lord Acton’s 188th birthday. This difficult era of a global pandemic, a crisis in institutions, and civil unrest seems a strange time to look back on the life and legacy of a Victorian historian of ideas—but, as Lord Acton himself remarked, “if the Past has been an obstacle and a burden, knowledge of the past is the safest and surest emancipation.” Continue Reading...

For religion to be national, it must first be personal

What does it mean for a nation to be Christian? Does the United States of America fit the description? At its founding, the United States was undoubtedly a Christian nation. To foster a society of religious freedom and pluralism, the Founding Fathers intentionally did not establish a national religion and took care to separate the domains of church and state in the founding documents of our country. Continue Reading...

The impact of church attendance on child development and family life

Only 47% of Americans belong to a church of any faith. This matters, especially for families and children, as well as our communities, as church attendance and religious adherence not only benefit family life, but also the development of children, as both church and a strong family life positively form children and help them become productive members of society. Continue Reading...

Dreher: A virtuous resistance against totalitarianism must challenge the status quo – especially in classrooms

What’s the foundation of a good education system? Creativity and courage, according to Rod Dreher, author of the bestselling book “Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents.” Dreher argues it is these creative and courageous educators who will best “dare to disrupt” the Marxist domination of students’ and teachers’ freedom of speech and critical thinking. Continue Reading...