Religious Liberty And The Human Good | Robert P. George
Feb 23, 2024
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The podcast discusses the intrinsic worth of human goods like friendship and justice, explores the relationship between health and moral norms, challenges prioritizing rights over human flourishing, emphasizes the importance of religious freedom, analyzes religious liberty through natural law reasoning in the Catholic tradition, and delves into the complexities of balancing religious freedom with state coercion.
Basic human goods guide practical reasoning towards human fulfillment.
Morally good choices align with human well-being, contrasting with detrimental actions.
Religious liberty is interconnected with morality, human well-being, and the pursuit of the human good.
Deep dives
The Value and Importance of Human Goods
The podcast delves into the fundamental aspects of human well-being and fulfillment known as basic human goods. These goods, such as friendship, knowledge, aesthetic beauty, and justice, are discussed as integral ends that direct rational thinking towards actions. The principles of practical reasoning guide choices aligned with human fulfillment and steer away from detrimental outcomes, highlighting the significance of health as a basic human good requiring no further justification beyond its intrinsic value.
Moral Norms and Righteous Action
The episode explores the foundation of moral norms rooted in the first principles of practical reason directing choices towards human fulfillment. The distinction between morally good choices aligned with aspects of human well-being and morally bad choices that deviate from such fulfillment is emphasized. Analogies, such as disease being the privation of health, are used to illustrate how actions aligning with human well-being establish criteria for distinguishing right from wrong.
Religious Liberty and Moral Goodness
The concept of religious liberty is linked to the broader framework of morality and human well-being. The discussion revolves around the idea that understanding and respecting human rights, including religious freedom, is intricately connected to comprehending the human good. The interplay between human rights, religious liberty, and the pursuit of the human good as essential components of moral reasoning is underscored.
Interfaith Dialogue and Mutual Respect
The podcast highlights the significance of interfaith dialogue and the mutual recognition of spiritual and moral truths across different traditions. It stresses the importance of acknowledging and preserving the spiritual and moral values found in various religions. Embracing common truths and promoting understanding among diverse faith communities are presented as vital for fostering peace, social justice, and moral values.
Freedom of Religion and Human Dignity
The discussion extends to the legal and ethical dimensions of protecting religious freedom as a fundamental human right essential for upholding human dignity. The imperative to respect individuals' liberty in the religious quest and to live authentically according to their beliefs is emphasized. The balancing act between religious freedom and limitations required to prevent gross evils or injustices is explored within the context of legal standards and the compelling state interest.
Governmental Role in Upholding Human Rights
The episode touches on the role of political authorities in safeguarding human rights, including religious freedom, as well as promoting peace, liberty, and moral values. It discusses the need for legislators to balance the protection of individual liberties with the compelling state interests. The historical and contemporary dynamics of religious pluralism, respecting faith traditions, and addressing perceived injustices through legal and ethical frameworks are scrutinized.
This lecture was given on September 28th, 2023, at Georgetown University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events
About the speaker:
Robert P. George is the sixth McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, a program founded under his leadership in 2000. George has frequently been a Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School.
Born on July 10, 1955, Robert George has served as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as well as a presidential appointee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the President’s Council on Bioethics. In addition, Professor George has served as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. He was also a Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States, where he received the Justice Tom C. Clark Award.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Swarthmore, he holds J.D. and M.T.S. degrees from Harvard University as well as D.Phil., B.C.L., D.C.L., D.Litt. degrees from Oxford University. He holds twenty-two honorary doctorates.
George is a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal, the Honorific Medal for the Defense of Human Rights of the Republic of Poland, the Irving Kristol Award of the American Enterprise Institute, the Canterbury Medal of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and one of Princeton University’s highest honors – the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
George is the author of hundreds of books, essays, and articles. He is a finger-style guitarist and bluegrass banjo player.
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