This year, the United States marks its 250th anniversary, a milestone that invites reflection not only on the nation’s achievements but also on the ideals that shaped its founding. Among the most precious of these ideals is liberty. For Seventh-day Adventists, this anniversary offers a moment to consider how we, as a faith community, have participated in the American story of freedom and how we remain called to defend it today.
America’s early European settlers came fleeing oppression, and many arrived here seeking the freedom to live out their convictions without government interference. This pursuit of liberty shaped the nation’s character from its earliest days. Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, championed a radical concept dealing with liberty of conscience that laid a philosophical foundation for what would later be reflected in the Constitution itself.
The framers of the Bill of Rights enshrined this principle in the First Amendment, guaranteeing that Congress would make no law establishing religion or prohibiting its free exercise. This simple yet profound boundary, protecting the church from the state and the state from the church, has safeguarded religious diversity and democratic governance for generations.
Religious liberty is more than the freedom to attend the church of one’s choice. It is the God-given right of every individual to think, believe and worship according to their conscience. It protects not only our ability to practice our faith, but also the rights of those whose beliefs differ from our own. It isn’t just a legal construct but a moral one, rooted in the dignity of the human person.
Ellen G. White consistently emphasized this divine principle. Compelled obedience, she argued, has no moral value. Just as God does not force the human will, no human authority has rightful power to coerce belief.
From their earliest years, Seventh-day Adventists understood that liberty is fragile. Their status as a small faith community and their commitment to Sabbath observance often placed them at odds with prevailing laws and customs. Early Adventists spoke out strongly against Sunday Blue Laws, recognizing that civil legislation enforcing religious observance threatened both religious and civil freedom.
Our church also raised its voice against slavery and racial injustice. Though not perfect in our history, we have notable moments when Adventists stood firmly for human dignity. Adventist pioneers like Uriah Smith and Joseph Bates publicly denounced slavery. Their stance reflected a broader truth that religious liberty cannot flourish where civil rights are denied.
Yet our history also contains moments of silence when our church did not speak as boldly as it should have, particularly during World War II and the civil rights era, when many Adventists struggled to fully champion civil liberty for all. These stories remind us of the ongoing need for moral courage.
Today, Adventists continue to play an active role in defending freedom of conscience for all people. Through legal advocacy and public engagement, Adventists support cases involving Sabbath accommodation, employment rights, asylum claims, religious land use, and prisoner rights. Our commitment is not self-serving; it is grounded in the biblical conviction that liberty is universal.
The United States has long described itself as an experiment, an attempt to build a society on equal rights, democratic governance, and liberty of conscience. Ellen White noted that the United States was founded on republicanism and Protestantism, principles that promoted self-governance, personal liberty, and freedom of worship. These ideals contributed greatly to the nation’s growth and have inspired hope for millions worldwide as they have watched this American experiment over the years.
Yet the American experiment is fragile. Rights are secure only when practiced, defended, and respected in daily life. Both history and the Spirit of Prophecy show us that when civil and religious powers unite, persecution follows. Thus, the preservation of liberty requires constant vigilance.
As Adventists, we celebrate this nation’s journey toward liberty, its progress, its struggles, and its aspirations. But celebration alone is not enough. Our prophetic heritage, our theological convictions, and our ethical duty compel us to remain active guardians of conscience.
Religious liberty must be recognized not merely as a privilege for the majority, but as a right that protects the minority. Civil liberty must be defended not only when our own rights are at stake, but whenever any person’s dignity is threatened.
As the United States enters its next chapter, we are called to help preserve the democratic principles that allow freedom to flourish. This means advocating, educating, voting, speaking and serving in ways that uphold the God-given rights of all people.
The American experiment continues, and so does our Adventist mission to protect liberty of conscience, promote justice, and reflect God’s character of love and freedom.
Jennifer Woods is the Lake Union Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director, as well as its legal counsel.