We are not a subculture

Philadelphia. Barack Obama was not at Philadelphia’s Independence Mall when the Pope spoke about religious freedom to the local Hispanic community and other immigrant groups, but he surely did not miss the part where Francis came out in strong support of the already loud statements of the American episcopate on downgrading Religious Freedom to Freedom of Worship, an issue that exploded on the battlegrounds of Obamacare and gay marriage. Though without directly tackling the reasons behind the battles carried out by American bishops in recent years, the Pope also clarified to the current Administration that Religious freedom does not only mean releasing contrite statements when some churches are set on fire. “In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom”, Francis said, “or try to reduce it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the various religions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and rights of others”. Religious freedom, which is “a fundamental right which shapes the way we interact socially and personally with our neighbors whose religious views differ from our own”, Francis stressed, “certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families”. The various religious traditions, the Pope added, “serve society primarily by the message they proclaim. They call individuals and communities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and happiness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of every claim to absolute power”.

Traduzione di Chiara Salce

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• Matteo Matzuzzi

• Friulsardo, è nato nel 1986. Laureato in politica internazionale e diplomazia a Padova con tesi su turchi e americani, è stato arbitro di calcio. Al Foglio dal 2011, si occupa di Chiesa, Papi, religioni e libri. Scrittore prediletto: Joseph Roth (ma va bene qualunque cosa relativa alla finis Austriae). È caporedattore dal 2020.