Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights the Church has defended most vigorously. For the Church, freedom to believe and practice the faith is not only a basic human right, but a demand of truth. In many countries, especially in the Middle East and Asia, religious freedom is severely restricted, and Christians face persecution and harassment.
The Defense of Religious Freedom: In documents such as "Dignitatis Humanae" (1965), the Church affirms that every person has the right to seek the truth and practice it without coercion. Religious freedom refers not only to freedom of worship, but also to the freedom to proclaim and live the faith in public life.
The Challenge of Secularism: In Western societies, religious freedom faces another kind of threat: the marginalization of religion and pressure to confine religious beliefs to the private sphere. The Church has responded by denouncing aggressive secularism, which attempts to exclude the religious voice from public debate. In places such as France and Belgium, the Church has defended Christians' right to express their faith openly.