Theology Faculty Postdoctoral Fellow contributes to Biden administration editorial

On January 12th, the Berkley Center published an editorial advising the Biden administration on international religious freedom. As part of the editorial, Edward David (a postdoctoral research fellow of the Oxford Character Project) suggests that inconsistencies in the treatment of religious freedom can be improved if religion were viewed as a virtue and not primarily as the object of partisan rights.

The essay draws on David’s extensive research in the area and illuminates his prior work, including his recent book, A Christian Approach to Corporate Religious Liberty. The work sits within a seven-part editorial, Rethinking U.S Policy on International Freedom and is produced by Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World affairs.

The Berkley Center asks: ‘How should the Biden administration approach international religious freedom, especially in light of Trump-era policies? What are some of the key challenges the president-elect will face when it comes to religious freedom in American foreign policy? Is it necessary to reform the architecture of U.S. international religious freedom? If so, how? What lessons are there to be learned from the history of U.S. foreign policy on freedom of religion or belief? Is it desirable or possible to better integrate religious freedom with the broader U.S. human rights agenda? If so, how?’

Edward David’s editorial is freely available through the Berkley Center website.