ISSUES
Religious Freedom
Most people know that religious freedom is protected by the U.S. Constitution. But this freedom is not merely a narrow “right to worship.” Rather, it is a broad freedom to follow God in all of life’s pursuits.
Religious freedom ensures that every person has the right to explore life’s deepest questions and to live out their convictions peaceably in the public square. It is the cornerstone of societies that promote free speech, human dignity, and everyone’s flourishing.
No one should be threatened or harassed for publicly expressing or living out their faith.
Freedom to follow your faith
We oppose attempts to compel people to compromise their beliefs or retreat from civil life as the price for following their faith.
Case Profile: Bethel Ministries v. Salmon
How do we defend your rights?
Whether in the home, workplace, school, or house of worship, the First Amendment protects everyone’s freedom to exercise their religious beliefs.
We advocate for the rights of religious organizations to participate in publicly available government programs on an equal footing with secular organizations. Government officials cannot exclude religious groups from public benefits simply because they are religious.
We oppose religious discrimination by major corporations. We are standing up to tech companies, banks, and others who try to cancel or punish people for their beliefs.
We defend victims of religious persecution across the world, working with our global network of lawyers to oppose blasphemy laws and other violations of religious freedom.
ADF doesn’t just sit back and play defense; rather, we actively pursue litigation and legislation protecting religious freedom for all.
We created the Church and Ministry Alliance to give churches and religious ministries of all sizes access to affordable legal and educational resources so they can be empowered to freely live out their missions.
We educate, equip, and engage business leaders and professionals to advance religious freedom for all people in the workplace through our Corporate Engagement and Corporate Affairs teams.
We advocate for laws at the state and federal level that strengthen protections against religious discrimination.
Legal cases
Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that churches and religious organizations cannot be excluded from generally available government programs simply because they are religious.
Arizona Christian University v. Washington Elementary School District
A school board unanimously voted to end its partnership with ACU because of the university’s religious beliefs. An ADF lawsuit led the school board to enter into a new agreement with ACU.
Union Gospel Mission of Yakima v. Ferguson
Washington state officials are trying to punish a religious nonprofit for hiring only those who share and live out the organization’s religious beliefs.
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Learn more about religious freedom
What is Religious Freedom?
Religious freedom is a gift to society, and when we honor it, religious freedom leads to human flourishing and allows every person—religious or not—to follow their conscience and most deeply held beliefs.
What Is Freedom of Conscience, and Why Does It Matter?
God has given each of us a conscience that allows us to discern between right and wrong, good and evil. But conscience rights are only meaningful when we are free to act on what we believe.
De-banking: Cancel Culture’s Newest Threat
An increasing number of financial institutions are using vague “reputational risk” or “hate speech” policies to cancel or punish customers for their religious beliefs. ADF is standing against these threats to liberty.