Religious Liberty

IRCV considers religious liberty, a core value affirmed in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, to be a foundational principle that informs all of our organization's efforts, activities and partnerships. Broadly speaking, freedom of conscience encompasses the wide range of faith perspectives and philosophical outlooks held by citizens across the land, and is an implicit feature of our public square discourse. It is also a central concern and value for many people around the world, as they navigate a variety of political, economic and social circumstances in their quest for representative government, prosperity, and peace. Importantly, as a concept, religious liberty is as much about the freedom to believe as it is about the freedom not to believe. IRCV seeks to advance our collective understanding of this principle, and thereby safeguard each individual's right to negotiate and act upon their own understanding of religion within the civic framework afforded by the Constitution.

Religious Pluralism

All societies change over time. The United States, in particular, has experienced dramatic transformations in the course of its history in the legal, economic and social realms. Our ethnic and religious diversity has increased steadily over the decades, as new groups of immigrants from around the world have joined our society and become part of the fabric of this nation. The Founding Fathers had the foresight to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, color or creed, would have a place at the table. So while America’s demographic profile shifts and evolves, its core values remain constant. Without a doubt, the United States today is perhaps the most pluralistic society in the world, and the collective heritages represented by Americans provide a foundation for further innovation and the potential for leadership in human affairs. The respect for religion afforded by our system makes it possible for faith communities to play a constructive role in shaping collective life, even as the state maintains its independence from religious affairs. Increased appreciation for religious pluralism can facilitate the broadening of perspectives and stimulate more earnest cooperation in the good works that the world’s faiths call upon believers to perform. IRCV is committed to helping Americans of all perspectives and faith commitments recognize religious pluralism as a hallmark of American society, and to inspiring faith communities to translate that appreciation into meaningful action for the public good.

Religious Literacy

While many people today have access to greater education about the world’s religions, most people have limited knowledge about faiths other than their own. More commonly, people tend to hold stereotypical, inaccurate or incomplete views about faith traditions, stemming from their upbringing in communities that naturally seek to uphold particular truth claims about faith, or from ideas that have been perpetuated in popular or folk culture. Political events on the world stage color many people’s attitudes as well. However, in order to make sense of today's world, it is increasingly necessary to acquire a solid understanding of the faiths, cultures, and attitudes that shape our daily experiences, and those beyond our immediate surroundings. In civic life, it is not a question of ascertaining who holds the correct beliefs, but rather, who holds what beliefs. IRCV believes that religious literacy -- that is, education about the world’s faiths rather than indoctrination in a particular faith -- is of vital importance today. Whether one holds religious beliefs or not, understanding the role of religion in history and contemporary times is necessary for effective and beneficial policymaking and for social harmony in pluralistic societies. IRCV works to enhance our collective literacy regarding world religions, taking into account academic religious studies as well as the faith perspectives of believers. By advocating the use of descriptive language that is respectful of religious belief, it is possible to avoid the pitfalls of secularized language that seeks to explain away religion and render religious experience meaningless, and at the same time to avoid the faith implications of the prescriptive language utilized within faith communities. IRCV values the civic framework that makes working for greater religious literacy possible.

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