Religious Freedom

The First Amendment, U.S. Constitution

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Religious Freedom a Focus of Terra Extraneus
Terra Extraneus’ mission statement is: “To navigate the intersection of news, morality, law and faith.” One of the most crucial arenas in which law and faith are intersecting in modern America is religious freedom. The authors of Terra Extraneus do not oppose the separation of church and state when properly applied. As a matter of fact, it was to protect our religious freedoms that our founding fathers authored the Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing official state religion, and it also prohibits the government from restricting the free exercise of religion in our free society. In those ways, the Constitution “separates” the “state” (government) from the “church” (religious expression), and that is a good thing for all who wish to remain free.

However, the constitutional separation of church and state is being turned on its ear in modern times, used to accomplish the very thing it was meant to prevent. Christians and other religious practitioners in the U.S. are being prevented from the free exercise of their faith on supposed “separation of church and state” grounds. Teachers, students, members of the armed forces, government employees, and average citizens in public places are being hindered from expressing their faith in the very name of the constitutional provision that was designed to protect our freedom.

Terra Extraneus will keep a spotlight on religious freedom: reporting relevant current events, providing commentary, answering questions. We will also support the work of individuals and groups who are doing good work to protect our religious freedom by highlighting and linking to such entities in this section of Terra Extraneus.

If you have news or comments about religious freedom under fire, if you have a question about your religious freedoms, or if you would like us to highlight the work you are doing, please contact us.

Quotations about Religious Freedom

Good Sources of Religious Freedom News
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Christian Nonprofits Devoted to Religious Freedom
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