• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
People paddle board along the Potomac River in Washington June 25, 2021. This year's International Religious Summit will be held in the nation's capital July 13-15. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

Charter on religious freedom rights released ahead of international summit

June 29, 2021
By Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Religious freedom advocates released a charter declaring the right of every person around the world to freely believe — or not believe — religious tenets and join with others in a religious community and for believers and religious communities to live peacefully in society.

Titled “A Charter of Religious Freedom,” the document was released in advance of the International Religious Freedom Summit planned for the nation’s capital and online July 13-15.

The three-day summit will feature prominent religious leaders and religious freedom advocates in a series of speeches, discussions and programs focusing on the vital need to protect religious freedom globally.

Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, welcomed the summit in a June 9 statement.

“This summit is intended to raise awareness about international religious freedom within the United States and to bring together a broad coalition that will work together for the cause of religious freedom around the world,” he said.

The committee is among the summit’s sponsors and has over 40 organizations in convening the event. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, will deliver a keynote address during the summit.

The charter sets forth a series of statements outlining where the rights of the free exercise of religion originate, widespread challenges to religious freedom internationally, and how the guarantee of religious freedom can increase international justice, stability and peace.

It declares, “That every government, every religious community, and every political and civil society organization in the world should strive toward the goal of achieving freedom of religion and conscience, for everyone, everywhere — protected by law and valued by culture.

Religious freedom, it continues, is to be understood by three “interconnected levels” of rights:

— “The right of every human being freely to believe in religious truths, or not to believe, uncoerced by any human authority, especially the state with its extraordinary powers.”

— “The right to join with others in religious community, which also possesses religious freedom” including the right to build houses of worship, train clergy, establish religious schools, and develop and uphold religious doctrines.”

— “The rights of believers and of religious communities to live and act peacefully, within civil and political society in accord with their religious beliefs.”

The charter concludes by calling on leaders of nations, international organizations, religions, nongovernmental organizations, media organizations and policy and political entities to “begin now to adopt practical steps toward the goal of achieving religious freedom for everyone, everywhere.”

The summit itself features 50 presenters and speakers representing various faith traditions including Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Irbil, Iraq, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop Anba Angaelos of London, and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

The Dalai Lama, as well as Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress, a Holocaust survivor, representatives of Islamic and Eastern religions. and human rights and civil rights activists also will speak.

The summit offers a young leader track as well, with opportunities to receive training on human rights advocacy, developing advocacy projects and connecting with others.

Co-chairing the summit are Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom from 2008 to 2021, and Katrina Lantos Swett, president of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.


Editor’s Note: The full text of the charter and more information is available online at irfsummit.com.

Also see

Archbishop Lori among bishops saying HHS proposal violates religious freedom and ‘is bad medicine’

China deploys hundreds of auditors to monitor religious activities online

Supreme Court sides with coach in public school prayer case

Supreme Court says Christian group can fly flag at City Hall

Court seems to side with football coach over postgame prayers

Gavel set symbolic of liberty created from historic wood

Copyright © 2021 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Young adults from Archdiocese of Baltimore invited to experience local and international World Youth Day events

Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes new school leaders

RADIO INTERVIEW: Camp St. Vincent

Archbishop Lori decries Biden executive order, ‘continued promotion of abortion’

Archbishop Lori urges Congress to ‘seize hopeful moment,’ vote to protect life, common good

Latest World News

Overturning of Roe provides ‘chance to win fight for life,’ says top Knight

Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says

Father Carl Kabat, a former Baltimore resident, spent 17 years in prison for anti-nuclear protests

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, pope tells young people

5th Circuit urged to keep injunction in place on HHS transgender mandate

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Young adults from Archdiocese of Baltimore invited to experience local and international World Youth Day events
  • Overturning of Roe provides ‘chance to win fight for life,’ says top Knight
  • Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes new school leaders
  • Father Carl Kabat, a former Baltimore resident, spent 17 years in prison for anti-nuclear protests
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, pope tells young people
  • 5th Circuit urged to keep injunction in place on HHS transgender mandate
  • MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Predator’ prequel hunts for ‘Prey’
  • Cardinal Tomko, oldest member of College of Cardinals, dies at 98

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2022 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED