At Independence Hall, Pope Offers a Broad Vision of Religious Freedom
In The New York Times, Jim Yardley and Daniel J. Wakin report that on the final leg of his American journey, Pope Francis called for strengthening religious freedom around the world. Speaking from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Francis reiterated the importance of religious rights, but also warned about the danger of their misuse as a pretext for violence. “In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom, 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,” the pontiff said, “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.”