Liberty, Religious

The doctrine that it is morally permissible for nations and states to permit individuals to worship and practice their religious beliefs in good conscience when these do not harm the common good. Because religion is itself a basic human good, practicing religion is not to be restrained by the State or society; only when religious practices or beliefs cause clear and express harm to states can it be limited or curbed. The doctrine of religious liberty differs from that of religious freedom, which holds that all religions are essentially the same and therefore the State should be indifferent toward them. The doctrine of religious liberty, articulated by the Second Vatican Council's Dignitatis Humanae (Declaration on Religious Liberty), holds that not all religions have the same value, but that does not mean that some can be deliberately hindered if they cause no harm. Religious liberty holds that states have an interest in promoting religion because sound religion is an aid to the State. Religious liberty is based on the doctrine that individuals have an obligation in conscience to search for the truth, and an aspect of this search is the quest for religious truth. Because they have this obligation, they must have the liberty to pursue those truths. The doctrine of religious liberty holds that individuals who sincerely pursue religious truths in accord with the dictates of conscience must be permitted to do so. The Declaration on Religious Liberty, however, did hold that this liberty for the pursuit of religious truth must give special place to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

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