Acton Line

Francis Beckwith, professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor University, discusses the lecture he gave at Acton University 2022 entitled, “Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith.” Sarah Negri, Acton’s research project coordinator, sits down with Beckwith to discuss how religious rites such as marriage have a special significance not typically recognized in civil law, and how religion is unfairly set up as in conflict with reason, when in fact rites and religious observances can be profoundly reasonable. In addition, they talk about the difference between conscience and religious freedom, and how using these two similar but distinct concepts as a basis for legal decisions may have different social ramifications.   Subscribe to our podcasts   About Francis J. Beckwith    Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith    The Heart Has Its Reasons | Church Life Journal    Is it Time to Rethink the School Prayer Cases? | Anchoring Truths    Ta