Rev. Travis Norvell: Our religious liberty is at stake
Nearly 375 years ago a man of principle, Roger Williams, was banished and stripped of his rights as a citizen by the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of his religious beliefs. He fled for his safety by fording the Seekonk River into the haven provided for him by the Narragansett.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Nearly 375 years ago a man of principle, Roger Williams, was banished and stripped of his rights as a citizen by the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of his religious beliefs. He fled for his safety by fording the Seekonk River into the haven provided for him by the Narragansett.
The natives granted him a title to land, which he interpreted as a blessing of "God's merciful Providence." This was the beginning of the colony of Rhode Island. Thus also began the uniquely American tradition of liberty of conscience or religious liberty: the right every American has to pursue truth, to be a person of conscience, without threat of persecution or promise of aid by the government.
As rhetoric against the building of a Muslim community center and mosque in the area known as Park51 in lower Manhattan moves from civil to vitriolic, as American citizens question the right of American Muslims to freely practice their religion, our nation's foundational principle is not only threatened but under attack. It is in the vital interest of every American to let the community center and mosque be built.
The issue is not whether it is wise (as our president has argued) or whether it is right (as some members of the public have argued) to build the community center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero, though other questionable buildings now stand in the area.
The issue is not whether a significant number of Americans disagree with the theology of the community the center will serve, even though Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's stated goal is to improve relations and understanding with Islam.
The issue is the constriction and possible evaporation of the liberty of conscience. If the community center and mosque are not allowed to be built because of public disapproval or governmental restriction, then all who do not speak up for our Muslim brothers and sisters will be perpetrators of what Williams called "a Soule or spirituall rape."
In 1638 in Providence, Williams and a few others established the First Baptist Church in America. Baptists, all 47 million of us, are now the largest Protestant body in America, but at one time we were a tiny, unwanted nuisance.
Williams argued for the formation and practice of liberty of conscience, not just for those with whom he agreed, but also for all. His argument eventually won the day in America, and now each of us has the right to pursue truth without persecution or aid of the government.
Those with pained consciences quickly populated Rhode Island. In 1638 Anne Hutchinson and her followers arrived, followed in 1658 by 15 Spanish Jews.
In 1657, the Quakers arrived. Williams despised them, but opened the colony to them nonetheless. In the last years of his life, Williams happily rowed 30 miles from Providence to Newport for the express purpose of arguing with the Quakers. For Williams, liberty of conscience did not mean tolerance, agreement or even admiration; it meant mutual respect -- respect deep and appreciative enough to encompass debate and disagreement.
The American tradition, unlike the European tradition, is not one of tolerance but of mutual respect. Liberty of conscience is a two-way street. I grant you liberty of conscience, and you grant me liberty of conscience. I may disagree with you, you may disagree with me -- that is OK, but we promise not to damage, threaten nor take away the free pursuit of truth from each other.
If I take it away from you, then I have abused both my own pursuit of truth and yours. Let us all stand firm in our practice of soul liberty. Let us all stand firm in support of our Muslim brothers and sisters, our fellow American citizens. Let the community center and mosque be built, and let our grand tradition of the liberty of conscience prevail.
Norvell, originally of St. Albans, is pastor of St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. This commentary first appeared in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Nearly 375 years ago a man of principle, Roger Williams, was banished and stripped of his rights as a citizen by the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of his religious beliefs. He fled for his safety by fording the Seekonk River into the haven provided for him by the Narragansett.
The natives granted him a title to land, which he interpreted as a blessing of "God's merciful Providence." This was the beginning of the colony of Rhode Island. Thus also began the uniquely American tradition of liberty of conscience or religious liberty: the right every American has to pursue truth, to be a person of conscience, without threat of persecution or promise of aid by the government.
As rhetoric against the building of a Muslim community center and mosque in the area known as Park51 in lower Manhattan moves from civil to vitriolic, as American citizens question the right of American Muslims to freely practice their religion, our nation's foundational principle is not only threatened but under attack. It is in the vital interest of every American to let the community center and mosque be built.
The issue is not whether it is wise (as our president has argued) or whether it is right (as some members of the public have argued) to build the community center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero, though other questionable buildings now stand in the area.
The issue is not whether a significant number of Americans disagree with the theology of the community the center will serve, even though Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's stated goal is to improve relations and understanding with Islam.
The issue is the constriction and possible evaporation of the liberty of conscience. If the community center and mosque are not allowed to be built because of public disapproval or governmental restriction, then all who do not speak up for our Muslim brothers and sisters will be perpetrators of what Williams called "a Soule or spirituall rape."
In 1638 in Providence, Williams and a few others established the First Baptist Church in America. Baptists, all 47 million of us, are now the largest Protestant body in America, but at one time we were a tiny, unwanted nuisance.
Williams argued for the formation and practice of liberty of conscience, not just for those with whom he agreed, but also for all. His argument eventually won the day in America, and now each of us has the right to pursue truth without persecution or aid of the government.
Those with pained consciences quickly populated Rhode Island. In 1638 Anne Hutchinson and her followers arrived, followed in 1658 by 15 Spanish Jews.
In 1657, the Quakers arrived. Williams despised them, but opened the colony to them nonetheless. In the last years of his life, Williams happily rowed 30 miles from Providence to Newport for the express purpose of arguing with the Quakers. For Williams, liberty of conscience did not mean tolerance, agreement or even admiration; it meant mutual respect -- respect deep and appreciative enough to encompass debate and disagreement.
The American tradition, unlike the European tradition, is not one of tolerance but of mutual respect. Liberty of conscience is a two-way street. I grant you liberty of conscience, and you grant me liberty of conscience. I may disagree with you, you may disagree with me -- that is OK, but we promise not to damage, threaten nor take away the free pursuit of truth from each other.
If I take it away from you, then I have abused both my own pursuit of truth and yours. Let us all stand firm in our practice of soul liberty. Let us all stand firm in support of our Muslim brothers and sisters, our fellow American citizens. Let the community center and mosque be built, and let our grand tradition of the liberty of conscience prevail.
Norvell, originally of St. Albans, is pastor of St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. This commentary first appeared in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
