The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Deserves Credit for Protecting Religious Freedom

Editor’s Note: The following op-ed was published by The Baltimore Sun on August 21, 2024, and is authored by Dr. Mark David Hall, director of RLS.

When Americans consider religious liberty, we often think of the First Amendment and related federal laws, but much of the responsibility to safeguard this freedom falls to individual states. Recent findings from the 2024 Religious Liberty in the States (RLS) report reveal a stark contrast between Maryland and Virginia in this regard, with Maryland far surpassing its southern neighbor.

Religious Liberty in the States (RLS), an annual research project of the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy, ranks states on their religious liberty policies. According to its 2024 ranking released last month, Maryland came in 10th place with 58% of the religious liberty protections tracked by the project. While Maryland lags behind the highest-ranked state of Illinois (85%), it’s still far ahead of Virginia. The Old Dominion ranks 26th with a score of only 42%.

. . .

While Virginia is falling short of its promise of religious liberty, Maryland is doing an admirable job of living up to its nickname, “the Free State.” Of course, there is more work to be done if Maryland wishes to stay near the top of the RLS ranking, or even challenge states like Florida and Illinois for first place. The safeguards tracked by RLS are a good place to start.

By taking these steps, Maryland can not only maintain but enhance its standing as a leader in religious liberty protections, setting an example for other states to follow and ensuring that all residents can freely exercise their religious beliefs.

. . .

Read the entire article here.