Archbishop Chaput on Building a Culture of Religious Freedom

Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia gave an insightful speech this week on building a culture of religious freedom in the context of the changes we have experienced in this country.  At one point he said:

"Americans have always been a religious people. They still are. Roughly 80 percent of Americans call themselves Christians. Millions of Americans take their faith seriously. Millions act on it accordingly. Religious practice remains high. That’s the good news. But there’s also bad news. In our courts, in our lawmaking, in our popular entertainment, and even in the way many of us live our daily lives, America is steadily growing more secular. Mainline churches are losing ground. Many of our young people spurn Christianity. Many of our young adults lack any coherent moral formation. Even many Christians who do practice their religion follow a kind of easy, self-designed gospel that led author Ross Douthat to call us a “nation of heretics.”¹ Taken together, these facts suggest an American future very different from anything in our nation’s past."

He does give concrete examples on how we can change the current path our country is on.  You can read the entire speech HERE.