Do religious institutions deserve constitutional protection? | William J. Haun & Bill Duncan

Are religious institutions afforded special rights under the Constitution? And what does that mean for religious liberty, the rule of law, and the role of government?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn talks with William J. Haun, nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and Sutherland’s Bill Duncan, about the constitutional role of religious institutions and why religious freedom is about more than government exemptions and accommodations.

They discuss the growing number of legal battles over religious freedom, why churches and other religious institutions deserve space to govern themselves, and how strong civil society can help prevent government from becoming the center of everything.

The conversation also explores the distinct roles of the family, religious institutions, and government—and why protecting those institutions is essential to a free and self-governing society.

Show notes:

Not to Caesar but to Peter by William J. Haun

Religious Freedom and Parental Authority by William C. Duncan

Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show, we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.