The Story: Apostasy and blasphemy laws—which are in effect in about 40 percent of the countries in the world—show why we should support religious freedom for all.
The Background: A recent Pew Research Center analysis found that in 2019, 40 percent of the countries studied (79 out of 198) had laws or policies banning blasphemy, which is defined as speech or actions considered to be contemptuous of God or of people or objects considered sacred. More than one in 10 (22 countries, or 11 percent) had laws against apostasy, the act of abandoning one’s faith.
In 2019, 40 percent of the countries studied had laws or policies banning blasphemy. More than one in 10 had laws against apostasy.
These laws were most common in the Middle East and North Africa, where 90 percent of countries (18 of 20) have laws criminalizing blasphemy and 65 percent (13 of 20) outlaw apostasy.
Blasphemy laws were on the books in all five global regions covered by the analysis, including 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 17 in the Asia-Pacific region, 14 in Europe, and 12 in the Americas. Apostasy laws were less common than blasphemy laws, existing in just 22 countries and in only three of the five regions studied. Most of the countries with apostasy laws were in the Middle East–North Africa region (13). Seven were in the Asia-Pacific region, and two in sub-Saharan Africa. No apostasy laws existed in Europe or the Americas.
What It Means: Do you, as a Christian, oppose apostasy and blasphemy laws?
For most of us, the answer is straightforward and obvious: of course we oppose such conscience-restricting laws. But a surprising number of Christians vocally oppose religious freedom. They would have to admit, if they’re being intellectually consistent, that they have no basis for opposing government-enforced prohibitions on apostasy.
As TGC Council member Russell Moore recently said, “The question of religious freedom is who should have regulatory power over religion. If you believe religion shouldn’t be regulated by the state, then you believe in religious freedom” (emphasis in original). The corollary to this is that if you do not believe in religious freedom, then you think it’s acceptable for religion to be regulated by the state. If you oppose religious freedom you have no grounds for opposing apostasy laws—even in Islamic countries.
If you oppose religious freedom you have no grounds for opposing apostasy laws—even in Islamic countries.
An example of such misguided opposition to religious freedom is found in a sermon given in January 2021 by John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in Simi Valley, California. In that sermon, MacArthur says the idea of religious freedom is “nonsense,” and that religious freedom is what sends people to hell. “To say I support religious freedom is to say I support idolatry,” said MacArthur. “It’s to say I support lies, I support hell, I support the kingdom of darkness.”
“You can’t say that,” he added. “No Christian with half a brain would say, ‘We support religious freedom.’ We support the truth.”
Such critics of religious freedom misunderstand the concept. All Americans should support religious liberty precisely because we support the truth—including the truth that the government shouldn’t have regulatory power to coerce the religious beliefs of any individual. Today, many people throughout the world are told that they’re not allowed to adopt the faith of Christianity. Similarly, in the past, many Americans were told they couldn’t practice their faith unless it was the officially approved theological tradition of Christianity. Both prohibitions are wrong because it gives the government a power it has no authority to wield.
We should consistently champion religious freedom for all people, not just Christians.
When governmental limitations affect their own faith, many Christians who oppose religious freedom have a change of heart. But we should consistently champion religious freedom for all people, not just Christians. We should not allow the state to possess a power reserved for God.
“Religious freedom does not mean that everyone’s religion is true,” says Moore. “All it means is that God judges the heart and that people must really believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord, instead of saying, ‘Lord, Lord’ merely because they are required to do so by law.”
The Gospel Coalition