Defending religious freedom after the sexual revolution

When Bill Clinton signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993, it was hardly considered controversial. The legislation had broad bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the House and nearly unanimously in the Senate.

Since then, however, there have been multiple calls to repeal RFRA, as the law is known. Opinions on the issues have become much more divided, with critics of the law saying it is used to justify discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Has the American notion of religious freedom changed in recent decades? And if so, why?

Part of the shift in how religious liberty is viewed is due to conflicts arising from changes in American sexual ethics, argues Helen Alvaré, author of a new book entitled Religious Freedom after the Sexual Revolution: A Catholic Guide.