Freedom of worship, in the context of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt’s four freedoms, is a topic vast in breadth and depth. I aim to share three main points about it today: (1) That we must expand the meaning of freedom of worship, (2) That this freedom stands at the core of what means to be human, and (3) that protecting this freedom is central to achieving the kind of world we envision for ourselves.

Regarding the first point, discourse around the issue of freedom of worship can sometimes seem rather narrow. If conceived as only about the right to wear a certain item of clothing, or to walk into a given building to gather and pray, it may well remain narrow.

But the idea of freedom of worship is far richer and more powerful than that. At its heart, it is ultimately an expression of the freedom to investigate truth and reality for ones’ self. To be able to enjoy the freedom of worship means having the opportunity to investigate – without prejudice, bias, fear, or harassment – the deepest questions of self and society. These include: Who am I? What is my purpose? What are my responsibilities to others? How can our collective welfare be best pursued?

Can we imagine what kind of world we would be living in if people were not free to investigate reality for themselves? What would our individual paths of personal development and fulfillment look like? How would our collective journey toward a better world be impacted? Could it advance?

It is clear, then, that this capacity and longing to search for truth wherever it may be found is intrinsic to the human spirit itself. Freedom of worship therefore speaks to the most fundamental aspects of what it means to be a human being.

As the Bahá'í International Community has observed: “The activity most intimately linked to the consciousness that distinguishes human nature is the individual’s exploration of reality for himself or herself. The freedom to investigate the purpose of existence and to develop the endowments of human nature that make it achievable requires protection. Human beings must be free to know.”

In practical terms this means that the freedom of religion encompasses a wide range of activity and endeavor. It includes the freedom to worship as one sees fit – or the freedom to not worship. It includes the freedom to seek and engage new systems of meaning, purpose, and activity. And it includes the freedom to define by what terms one wishes to live one’s life.

Unfortunately, as we are seeing too often today, the denial of freedom of worship can do great damage, particularly in terms of enjoyment of the freedom from fear and freedom of speech.

It is for these reasons, I am convinced, that studies show that greater religious freedom and greater religious diversity are correlated with peaceful societies. The Institute for Economics and Peace, for example, noted in a recent report that “Countries with greater religious freedoms are generally more peaceful, whereas countries with less religious freedom are generally less peaceful.”

When one is free to explore the nature of reality in his or her own way, and, importantly, when one sees others doing the same, we begin to see the strength that lies behind our diversity. Andas this happens, the idea of doing harm unto another in the name of belief – or race, creed, social class, and so on – also diminishes.

This brings me to my third point. When freedom of worship is understood as freedom to investigate the full range of human existence, it stands not just as a right but also as a means to explore, understand more fully, and actively address the many challenges – and opportunities – facing humanity today.

Because it is the active exploration of one’s higher nature that allows individuals everywhere to respond in ways that are constructive and productive. And this type of individual exploration,  I believe, is critical in our collective progress as a global society. This is true even in the face of great challenges, and perhaps even more so.
For example, religion and the freedom of worship can inspire us to build unity, to endeavor for material and spiritual betterment for all, to see our own happiness in that of others, to advance learning and science, to be an instrument of true joy, and to revive the body of humankind. I would posit that the next stages of freedom of worship will lead us to investigate more deeply the link between religious conviction and service to the common good.

In the 1941 State of the Union address, President Roosevelt spoke of “a world founded upon four essential freedoms.” These, of course, are the very freedoms we have explored here today. And it is clear that 75 years later, we, as a global community, still find them to be of central importance. It is perhaps worth remembering, though, that these freedoms were articulated not in the abstract; not as stand-alone, self-contained concepts.

Rather they were framed within the context of “the moral order” and in relation to the concept of the “good society.” And they were articulated during a World War whose legacy could very well be identified as the ultimate result of the lack of freedom of worship.

This seems to get to the heart of why freedom of religion is important in the contemporary world. Religion pertains to our deepest beliefs, values, and convictions about ourselves, our role in the world, and the way our collective life should be ordered and arranged. In this sense, religion is central to our collective striving after “the good society.” And this striving to understand what we can be at our best, both individually and collectively, is something that must be preserved and protected if humanity is to advance.

– Daniel Perell, representative to the United Nations of the Baha’i International Community

[A webcast of the entire panel discussion on “Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always.” can be accessed here.]