Religious Freedom Legislation

Should the government allow people of faith to act according to their religious beliefs? This question is at the center of an ongoing legal and cultural battle over religious freedom laws, which includes Indiana's controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) signed by Gov. Mike Pence.

At face value, the laws seem aimed at protecting an individual’s religious beliefs at the state level. But there's a lot of room for interpretation.

Opponents argue the laws are essentially a license to discriminate against members of LGBTQ communities, Muslims, or anyone else a person may disagree with on the basis of faith.

So far, twenty states have religious freedom laws on the books, and sixteen more are considering legislation in 2015. As states debate, approve, and amend religious freedom laws, Patheos bloggers are speaking out amid the growing firestorm, offering their interpretation, views, and predictions.

Although the initial frenzy of Indiana's RFRA passage has quieted for now, the RFRA debate is far from over.

Please visit our Is Religious Freedom Threatened page for more information on this topic.