Free to Serve

What do Hobby Lobby, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Wheaton College, World Vision, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the University of Notre Dame have in common? All are faith-based organizations that have faced pressure to act in ways contrary to their religious beliefs. In this book, two policy experts show how faith-based groups--those active in the educational, healthcare, international aid and development, and social service fields--can defend their ability to follow their religiously based beliefs without having to jettison the very faith and faith-based practices that led them to provide services to those in need. They present a pluralist vision for religious freedom for faith-based organizations of all religious traditions. The book includes case studies that document the challenges faith-based organizations face to freely follow the practices of their religious traditions and analyzes these threats as originating in a common, yet erroneous, set of assumptions and attitudes prevalent in American society. The book also includes responses by diverse voices--an Orthodox Jew, a Roman Catholic, two evangelicals, two Islamic leaders, and an unbeliever who is a religious-freedom advocate--underscoring the importance of religious freedom for faith-based organizations.

Reviews

"This book explains how religious institutions caring for our communities risk losing their character as faith-based organizations. We have to protect the rights of everyone in our society if we are to protect the rights of anyone. An important book for our times."
--Richard Stearns, president, World Vision US; author of The Hole in Our Gospel and Unfinished

"The next decade may very well see more ferocious--and hugely important--battles over religious freedom than at any time in recent years. A must-read for anyone interested in preserving our country's historic stance on religious freedom."
--Ronald J. Sider, Palmer Seminary, Eastern University

"Monsma and Carlson-Thies present a timely and compelling case for how the United States can navigate the current changes to social norms by proposing that society value and give equal credence to the ideas of all religions and the nonreligious alike."
--Shirley V. Hoogstra, JD, president, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

"Religious liberty, one of our God-given rights, stands under unprecedented assault. Free to Serve provides a clarion call and prophetic prescription for those committed to never sacrificing truth on the altar of expediency."
--Samuel Rodriguez, president, NHCLC/CONELA, Hispanic Evangelical Association

"Anyone who cares about the state of religious freedom in America should read this book."
--David Nammo, executive director and CEO, Christian Legal Society