A Blow for Religious Liberty

Few are surprised when Baptists rally for religious liberty. That noble concept has been a hallmark of Baptists since their beginning. What is surprising is to find Roman Catholics, members of the Greek Orthodox Church and other advocates of state churches standing beside Baptists while insisting on their “right” to religious liberty.

That was the scene Nov. 20, 2009, in Washington when a diverse group of Christian leaders presented the Manhattan Declaration (See Dec. 3, 2009, issue). The leaders announced they would defy government authorities if they attempt to compel them or their Christian institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia or any other anti-life act.

In a wonderful line, the declaration asserted, “We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.”

This writer fully supports the positions announced in the Manhattan Declaration. It is a blow for religious freedom. The statement provides leadership for the Christian community at a time when many of the policies of government seem headed in the opposite direction from the values taught in Holy Scripture.

But one still cannot miss the irony of the various representatives all presenting themselves as champions of religious liberty. In truth, there is some irony that Baptists were among the leaders of this group. Not too many years ago, voices in major Baptist pulpits declared that church-state separation was of the devil. Such an evil concept can by found in the constitution of the former Soviet Union but not in the Constitution of the United States, these popular preachers declared.

These voices were willing to use their access to political power to manipulate the power of government to advance their Christian faith. That is not religious liberty. It is the very opposite.

But such a position is not true to Baptist heritage. Timothy George, dean of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, has written, “Oppressed sects had long argued for their right to religious toleration. What set the Baptists apart was the explicit vow of universal religious liberty for all. As (Thomas) Helwys put it, ‘Let them be heretics, Turks, Jews or whatsoever, it appertains not to the earthly power to punish them.’”

For writing in 1612 that King James I (of the King James Version of the Bible) had no right to impose religious conformity on his subjects, Helwys was locked away in Newgate Prison in London, where he died several years later. In 1644, the founder of the first Baptist church in America, Roger Williams, wrote The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution, advocating complete religious liberty for all people “be they Papists, Turks, Jews or atheists.”

From their beginnings, Baptists have understood the Bible teaches that religious liberty is a birthright of all people. The sacred space between God and humanity cannot be invaded by government. Neither can it be invaded by the church or any other human being. That sacred space is reserved for the One the Bible calls “the Great High Priest” — Jesus Christ.

Even the Baptist emphasis on a personal spiritual decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior hinges on religious liberty, the right of the individual to make such a decision.

Power never likes challenges and that includes religious power. For advocating religious freedom, Baptists in this nation suffered grievously at the hands of state churches and civil governments. Baptist historian Leon McBeth wrote, “Many Baptists were severely whipped, forced to pay taxes to support the state church, had property confiscated, paid fines and suffered lingering imprisonments.”

Their crimes? Such things as failing to have their children baptized by the state church or preaching without a license, which was denied to Baptists by the established church.

While no religious group can claim exclusive credit for religious liberty in this country, Baptists did play a vital role. Only his commitment to introduce a constitutional amendment guaranteeing religious freedom won James Madison the support of Virginia Baptists and gained him a seat in Congress. And it was Madison who introduced the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, which guarantees that government will do nothing to establish religion or obstruct an individual’s religious practices.

That is the Baptist heritage. Religious freedom for ourselves and others. That is far different from faith groups that insist on religious freedom for themselves but deny that right to others. That is far different from faith groups that endorse state churches and harass and persecute dissenting groups even today.

Religious freedom is not determined by a majority vote. It is an inalienable right granted by God and acknowledged by government.

In days past when it seemed political tides were running in favor of conservative Christian social positions, some evangelicals (including some Baptists) were willing to sacrifice a commitment to religious liberty in order to advance their causes. To them, the ends justified the means.

Now that political tides are running against them, some of these same Christian leaders appear ready to take refuge in the safe harbor of religious liberty as evidenced by the Manhattan Declaration. 

Again we support the declaration, welcome its guidance and rejoice that some staunch champions of religious liberty were among its authors.

Our prayer is that others taking refuge in religious liberty at the present time will recognize religious liberty as a God-given right belonging to all people at all times. Religious liberty is not toleration. It is freedom. It is not for some. It is for all.

The Baptist Faith and Message statement of faith makes this plain. Article 17 titled Religious Liberty reads, “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. … The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. … The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. … A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.”