NATIONAL CENTER FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM EDUCATION
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Religion is increasingly equated with bigotry in the United States. As a result, religious freedom is often viewed as a source of social division rather than a cornerstone of a successful society. If religious freedom is to be returned to its proper place in American society, the gateway is education. America’s high schools, colleges, and universities—which together educate some 40 million students each year—are overwhelmingly failing to teach the true meaning and value of religious freedom.
In the midst of these challenges, RFI’s National Center for Religious Freedom Education is partnering with students, teachers, professors, administrators, and others in the education sector across the United States, and beyond, to provide rigorous and engaging programs and materials to restore a proper understanding of religious freedom.
PROGRAMS
- Colleges and Universities: Curriculum development, public/academic conferences, internship program, dissertation fellowships, and more.
- America’s First Freedom Curriculum: A thematic unit with five sessions that supplement high school courses on American government, history, and social studies. (Learn more)
- Statesmanship and Religious Freedom Seminars: High-impact programs in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, United Kingdom, and Iraq for university students that combine interactive sessions with religious freedom scholars, multi-sensory and immersive experiences at world class locations, and meetings with public officials and civil society leaders working to advance religious freedom in the United States and around the world. (Learn more)
- Heritage Month Collection: A series of essays for middle and high school students that explore the extraordinary contributions of diverse Americans to the common good looking through the lens of their faith. (Learn more)
- Community Impact: Training religious leaders, informing local government officials, and coordinating recurring speaker series for young professionals on the intersection of religious freedom and emerging cultural, legal, and policy issues in the United States and around the world.
- Research and Publication Partnerships: Post-doctoral fellowships, major research initiatives, and collaborative book projects.
FURTHER READING
BOOKS
- “World of Faith and Freedom: Why International Religious Liberty Is Vital to American National Security” by Thomas F. Farr
- “More God, Less Crime: Why Faith Matters and How It Could Matter More” by Byron R. Johnson
- “Religious Freedom and Gay Rights: Emerging Conflicts in the United States and Europe” edited by Timothy S. Shah, Thomas F. Farr, and Jack Friedman
- “Religious Freedom: Why Now?: Defending an Embattled Human Right” by Timothy S. Shah
ARTICLES
- “What in the World is Religious Freedom?” by Thomas Farr (Published: Religious Freedom Institute, November 1, 2019)
- “Religious Freedom: Why Now? Defending an Embattled Human Right” by Timothy Shah (Published: Public Discourse, July 3, 2012)