Is Freedom of Religion or Belief Important in Our Day?

People from various faith groups gathered at the Alberta Legislature grounds on October 27, 2024, for a conference addressing freedom of religion or belief. This was the fourth such conference held in Edmonton, which has previously featured guests from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh faiths. Interfaith gatherings like this, organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been held in several Canadian cities in recent years.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) protects freedom of religion or belief as a universal human right. Article 18 reads: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in a community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

Conference Keynote Address and Speakers

Julia Beazley, director of public policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, gave the keynote address at the 2024 Edmonton Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference. She outlined issues currently on the radar in Canada. She said she loves hearing varied perspectives on religious freedom and seeing what that means to different groups and people: “Drawing near to one another and building understanding and relationships.”

Speaker John Borrows of the Anishinaabe First Nation and a Church member spoke about the values he grew up with: love, truth, honesty, courage, wisdom, humility and respect. These make up the Seven Grandfather Teachings and are a set of Anishinaabe guiding principles that give people the tools to live a good life. Many other religious traditions share these values. “What a blessing God has given us to find ways to live together,” he said. “[There are] lots of challenges, but we should never ignore the role of faith, the role of hope or the role of charity.”

Julien Hammond of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton said, “Religious freedom is an integral part of what it is to be Canadian.” He said it is important to speak about it and give people an opportunity to acknowledge that we have freedom in this country.

Seeking Common Ground

AreaSeventy Elder Robert W. Mendenhall of Sherwood Park, Alberta, said, “As we seek commonalities with those of other faiths and beliefs, we can see how God absolutely loves them, how God works with them, and how God is doing His work within the lives of those who will let Him prevail.”

One reason for hosting conferences like this is to bring together various faith groups to discuss what is held in common and build bridges of understanding. One of the conference organizers, Don Jaffray, who has been part of creating four such events in Edmonton over the years, said, “The more we allow each other to exercise our faiths, the richer our lives will become as we develop love for [others].”

Cornerstones of Freedom of Religion or Belief

Elder Robert D. Hales (1932–2017), formerly of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, told an audience at the Church’s general conference in April 2015 that there are four cornerstones of religious freedom that Latter-day Saints must rely upon and protect:

1. The freedom to believe.

2. The freedom to share beliefs and faith with others.

3. The freedom to form a religious organization: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (Articles of Faith 1:11).

4. The freedom to exercise faith in the home, chapel and public places. “The same people who insist that their viewpoints and actions be tolerated in society are often very slow to give that same tolerance to religious believers who also wish their viewpoints and actions to be tolerated. The general lack of respect for religious viewpoints is quickly devolving into social and political intolerance for religious people and institutions,” said Elder Hales (“Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom,” April 2015 general conference).

Church leaders continue to encourage an awareness of the importance of freedom of religion or belief. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counsellor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ, speaking at a 2022 Catholic conference in Rome, called for a global effort to defend and advance the religious freedom of all the children of God around the world (see “At a Catholic Conference in Rome, President Oaks Offers Four Ways to Strengthen Religious Freedom,” July 20, 2022).

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