The Second Vatican Council committed the Catholic Church to the promotion of religious freedom i.e. “the right of the person and of communities to social and civil freedom in religious matters”. 

“In order that this freedom, willed by God and inscribed in human nature, may be exercised, no obstacle should be placed in its way, since the truth cannot be imposed except by virtue of its own truth”.

Herein lies the fundamental reason the Church promotes religious freedom. Because a person’s search for God is something very personal in nature and varies from individual to individual, it is not something that can be controlled; every person must have the option of pursuing this quest in a way that he/she is comfortable.

“The dignity of the person and the very nature of the quest for God require that all men and women should be free from every constraint in the area of religion. Society and the State must not force a person to act against his conscience or prevent him from acting in conformity with it. Religious freedom is not a moral licence to adhere to error, nor as an implicit right to error.”

While a key reason for the promotion of religious freedom is the fact that its nature is something very much personal, it is important to remember that we however are social beings. We live among other persons in families, communities and nations.

The Doctrine of the Church reminds us “Freedom of conscience and religion “concerns man both individually and socially”. The right to religious freedom must be recognized in the juridical order and sanctioned as a civil right; nonetheless, it is not of itself an unlimited right”.

 In other words in exercising our religious rights, we not infringe on others religious rights or other persons other fundamental human rights. We have to be mindful that the “Common Good” must always be promoted and be at the forefront of our minds as we live and make decisions.

 “The just limits of the exercise of religious freedom must be determined in each social situation with political prudence, according to the requirements of the common good, and ratified by the civil authority through legal norms consistent with the objective moral order.

Such norms are required by “the need for the effective safeguarding of the rights of all citizens and for the peaceful settlement of conflicts of rights, also by the need for an adequate care of genuine public peace, which comes about when men live together in good order and in true justice, and finally by the need for a proper guardianship of public morality”

Another dimension of this discussion is the interaction between religion and state. The Church is not against particular religions being given special prominence by the State in light of perhaps history and culture. What is however essential, is that other religious beliefs are not discriminated against as a result.

This however has been a challenge for many countries. “Because of its historical and cultural ties to a nation, a religious community might be given special recognition on the part of the State. Such recognition must in no way create discrimination within the civil or social order for other religious groups.

The vision of the relations between States and religious organisations promoted by the Second Vatican Council corresponds to the requirements of a State ruled by law and to the norms of international law. 

The Church is well aware that this vision is not shared by all; the right to religious freedom, unfortunately, “is being violated by many States, even to the point that imparting catechesis, having it imparted, and receiving it become punishable offences”.

Next week we begin the discussion on the Catholic Church and the Political Community. 
Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, can contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House – 622-6680. Also on sale at the Justice Desk are the Take a Bite Social Justice Programme on DVD and Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching.