Faithful Free Speech: From Campus to the Hill

Event Summary

On October 10, AEI held an event cosponsored with Faith and Law and Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy. The event opened with an introduction by Susan Gates, the executive director of Faith and Law, and was followed by an opening prayer.

AEI Nonresident Senior Fellow Robert P. George and Pete Peterson of Pepperdine then held a conversation, in which they discussed the importance of free speech. In particular, they touched on the history and purpose of the First Amendment’s enactment and how its guarantees are connected to the inalienable rights enumerated at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence. Dr. George emphasized that America’s concept of freedom of religion includes the bringing of faith into the public square. He also assessed the status of free expression in academia and politics and how to situate it within other periods in American history. Finally, the two talked about the value in establishing friendships across the political aisle and how faith can help achieve those connections.

The event concluded with a Q&A session, a closing prayer, and brief remarks from AEI’s Yuval Levin.

—Michael Schwartz

Event Description

It is no longer true that what happens on campus, stays on campus. The aversion to free speech and expression once limited to universities has spread to council chambers and corporate boardrooms across America. One bulwark against this trend is the First Amendment, which ensures important protections of speech, press, and religion. While these are often seen as separate freedoms, what if they were actually mutually supportive? What if our free speech was actually grounded in our faith?

Please join us for an event cosponsored with Faith and Law and Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy in which AEI’s Robert P. George will speak on how reconnecting these freedoms can enable Americans to engage more faithfully in a polarized public square.