2025 Religious Freedom Annual Review

Why religious freedom? In a world of diverse beliefs about religion and increasingly large numbers of people choosing not to belong to religious institutions, why does religious freedom matter?

The Annual Review brought a broad array of perspectives to this issue, with religious, media, academic, legal, and thought leaders. What role does religion play in building peace and fostering human flourishing? How does religious freedom’s respect for both individual choice as well as the human dignity of all increasingly matter in a fractious world? Experts on religious freedom and peacemaking explored the interconnections.

Empirical evidence provides surprising demonstrations of the enormous power religion brings to human flourishing. Sociologists of religion as well as religious leaders from a variety of faiths looked at what this empirical evidence means in practice.

Breakout sessions examined ways popular culture portrays religion and how religious individuals can respond, and explore legal developments.