John Litzler challenged Howard Payne University students to recognize and defend the Christian’s historic and ongoing role in protecting religious liberty.
Litzler was the featured speaker at the 18th annual Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lectures in Christian Ethics hosted by HPU.
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Litzler, director for public policy at the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Christian Life Commission and general counsel for BGCT, addressed students during HPU’s chapel service on Wednesday, Feb. 4, and those who attended the lecture series Thursday evening, Feb. 5.
Campus challenge
Speaking from the theme, “The Modern Challenge of Religious Liberty: Protecting a Baptist Distinction from Extinction,” Litzler urged students to understand how Christian convictions have shaped religious liberty and to engage thoughtfully in public policy and advocacy.
“For the rest of this week — for the next couple of days — would you wrestle with the concept of religious liberty? Will you challenge yourself on this topic in some way?” Litzler asked, speaking to students, faculty and staff during chapel.
“That might mean finding one of your friends from another country — maybe an international student — and asking them what it’s like to live under different laws and the tension between following their country’s laws and God’s law,” Litzler continued.
“Or it might be spending time in prayer and reflection, asking yourself some challenging, introspective questions like, ‘Would my views on religious liberty be different if I were part of a minority faith instead of a majority faith?’” Litzler added.
Litzler made a reference to Matthew 22:15, in which religious leaders attempted to trap Jesus by asking whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.
He explained the question was designed to force Jesus to choose between Roman law and God’s law, illustrating the tension believers can face between earthly governments and divine authority.
Litzler described Jesus’ response as a framework for navigating dual citizenship in earthly kingdoms and the kingdom of God, arguing it highlights the importance of distinguishing between government authority and God’s authority.
Evening lecture
During the Thursday evening lecture, Litzler walked visitors and guests through the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, focusing on religious liberty.
Religious liberty, a historic Baptist distinctive, is being weakened when political leaders create carve-outs that limit how faith-based beliefs can be expressed in public life, Litzler contended.
“When people become deeply committed to a particular cause, religious liberty can quickly be treated as an obstacle,” Litzler said.
He said the First Amendment’s free exercise and establishment clauses were designed to protect all faiths and nonreligious beliefs, not only Christianity.
Litzler pointed to recent federal and state debates as evidence that both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to weaken religious liberty protections when they conflict with political priorities, including efforts to limit how religious freedom laws apply to issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion.
Litzler also cautioned Christians not to confuse the loss of cultural privilege with genuine religious persecution, noting Christians in other parts of the world face far more severe restrictions.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kendall Lyons and originally published by Baptist Standard.
