RFI President David Trimble joined The Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio to discuss the state of religious freedom in America in honor of Religious Freedom Week, called for by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Trimble spoke to some of the most pressing threats, and the need for citizens to stay vigilant to protect and exercise their freedom.

In terms of the current landscape, Trimble stated:

If we look at recent decisions in the courts in the last three to four years, we’re getting some wins that we applaud, that we want. The problem is they are not always decided on strictly religious freedom protection grounds; many times those decisions are turning on some other matter of law, so they’re not always as much a reason for celebration as we might think. And I think the jury’s still out [for those]. But the truth is, the real battle is fought in society, in the public square and culture. And we’re unfortunately seeing a trend the wrong direction there.

He also commented on the problematic understanding behind the term “freedom of worship,” used by some elites today, instead of the “free exercise of religion,” explaining:

That phrase is used interchangeably in some conversations, but is not entirely accurate, and certainly not [what] is embedded in our Constitution in our First Amendment that talks about “the free exercise of religion.” Our Founding Fathers understood that every man, woman, boy, and girl would have the freedom to exercise their religious faith in the public square – not just in a house of worship, but in their jobs, in their life and daily routines. And this is where it’s being attacked today, whether it’s in the workplace or in our schools… [or] college campuses. That’s where we’re seeing this fight unfold today.

Trimble noted that Religious Freedom Week provides a call to vigilance, as well as a chance to “step forward and speak the truth with courage, not shrinking from the opportunity to stand up and to practice our faith in the public square.”

Listen to the full interview starting at 32:45.