Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America

Goodrich—attorney at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty who has argued and won multiple cases at the Supreme Court, including the 2014 case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby—explains the current state of religious liberty in his instructive debut. For Goodrich, American openness to all religious practice, founded on the principle that “the government, within reasonable limits, leaves religion alone as much as possible,” promotes good works while protecting the rights of dissenters. Drawing on both legal doctrine and biblical lessons, he provides analysis of five divisive issues—religious discrimination, abortion rights, gay rights, the unfounded fear of Islam, and use of the public square—and encourages readers to look for ways to protect all sides of any deeply held moral question. For instance, he explains how Christians should embrace the religious freedom of Muslims as a sign of a free culture of evangelism. American society should also, Goodrich argues, “aim for a public square that neither promotes religion nor suppresses it, but instead welcomes religion as an essential part of human culture.” Christian Supreme Court watchers will get the most out of Goodrich’s lucid exploration of American religious freedoms. (Nov.)