Reports from BYU’s just-concluded Religious Freedom Annual Review

The 2016 Religious Freedom Annual Review sponsored by BYU’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) concluded early last evening.  It was an exceptionally rich set of meetings, and I really enjoyed my attendance at it.

Owing to some pre-existing conflicts, I was unable to attend all of the conference, but I did enjoy hearing the remarks of Elder Lance B. Wickman (“Defending Religious Freedom in a Secular Age: Fundamental Principles, Practical Priorities, and Fairness for All”), who is an emeritus member of the Seventy and who currently serves as general counsel for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He was followed by Matthew S. Holland, the president of Utah Valley University, who is an authority on the thought of the American Founders.  President Holland addressed the topic of “Religious Liberty v. Secularity: Is the American Founding Still Useful?”

There followed four breakout sessions, of which it was possible to choose only two.  I sat in on a presentation by Imam Muhammad Musri, who serves as president and chairman of the board of the Islamic Society of Central Florida.  He spoke on “Muslims, America, and Religious Freedom.”  Then I attended a presentation by the nationally syndicated religion journalist Terry Mattingly, a senior fellow at The King’s College in New York City.  He tried to help us with “Understanding Media Coverage of Religion.”

During the final session, I enjoyed presentations by David Masci, of the Pew Research Center; Thomas Berg, from the University of St. Thomas School of Law; Tim Schultz, of the First Amendment Partnership; and Brett Scharffs, who is the newly installed director of the ICLRS.

Owing, first, to prior engagements and, then, to being caught up in really interesting out-in-the-hall conversations, I missed a number of promising presentations on Friday, finally making my way into the meetings only in the late afternoon.  But I still managed to hear the remarks of Hannah Smith, from the Becket Fund, on “The Roberts Court and Religious Freedom,” and of Gene Schaerr, who is an adjunct professor at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark School of Law, on “What Will the New Supreme Court Do on Religious Freedom?”

The final session was on “Current Developments in Europe,” and featured David M. Kirkham, J.D., Ph.D., of BYU, who is an expert on the United Kingdom, and Michael L. Jensen, who is area legal counsel for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Cole Durham, the fabled founder of ICLRS who only recently stepped down as its director, gave the closing remarks.

Here are two newspaper reports on parts of the meetings:

“LDS Church’s chief lawyer says not all religious freedoms should be defended the same”

The first report covers the speeches of Elder Wickman and President Holland.

The second covers the discussions of the Supreme Court of the United States by Hannah Smith and Gene Schaerr.

Last evening, my wife and I, along with two longtime friends from here in Utah and another from Orlando, Florida, enjoyed a pleasant meal with Imam Musri, from Central Florida.  I found him quite impressive for his intelligence, his sympathetic understanding of other faiths, and his general good humor.  I like him very much.

P.S.  To point up the importance and even urgency of this topic of religious freedom, here’s a recent story:  http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/437637/euthanasia-catholic-nursing-home-belgium-fined