“Can religious freedom be a tool for peacemaking?” was the question posed to 100 delegates from over 40 countries, speaking 12 languages, at the 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium (ILRS) held October 6–8, 2024, at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Canadian delegates—Deina Warren, director of legal affairs at the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, and Dr. Patrick Fletcher, senior advisor for theology and social doctrine at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops—presented on relevant Canadian issues.
ILRS is an annual symposium hosted by the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), part of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU. The centre was founded in 2000 and is a global academic leader in the field of international religious freedom. Its mission is to “help secure the blessings of religious liberty for all” through scholarship, networking, educational activities and law reform efforts (see “ICLRS Mission”).
- 1-Fletcher,-Scharffs,-Warren.jpg
- 2-ILRS-2024.jpg
- 3-Warren,-Dushku,-Fletcher.jpg
- 4-Warren,-Durham.jpg
- 5-Fletcher,-Clark,-Law.jpg
- 6-ILRS-Canadian-Delegates.jpg
- 7-Fletcher,-Warren.JPG
- 8-ILRS-delegates.JPG
- 9-Canadian-delegates-and-others.jpg
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Symposium Theme and Welcome
Brett Scharffs, ICLRS director, opened the conference by quoting President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always. … We can literally change the world — one person and one interaction at a time. How? By modeling how to manage honest differences of opinion with mutual respect and dignified dialogue” (“Peacemakers Needed,” April 2023 general conference).
Scharffs emphasized that one of the recurring themes of President Nelson’s messages about becoming peacemakers is that “the transforming power of God’s love will change us and empower us to become peacemakers.”
Canadian Focus
The Canadian delegates participated on an international panel. Fletcher shared his perspective on religion’s role in peacemaking. He commented that “making peace fundamentally means … grasping what the divine order is or, put another way, what God’s will is for human beings and their relationships with each other and with the rest of creation. Subsequently, it requires working to build a society that respects and reflects the order God has written into creation.”
Fletcher suggested, “The task of building peace does not stop with preventing armed conflict; it also includes fostering right relations between nations, within societies, in families and within the heart of every person.”
Warren described how faith reaches the very core of a religious organization’s being and is expressed through charitable acts. “In Canada, we are seeing growing pressure on charities that will not provide euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises ... to abandon their beliefs on this most pressing matter — the nature, quality, value and extent of life,” she stated.
Warren further emphasized the need to protect religious freedom, preserve an important public moral conscience, ensure vulnerable people are not exploited, and protect diversity and dissent.
General Plenary Session
During a general plenary session, Elder Alexander Dushku, general counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about the intersection of peacemaking and religious liberty. He stressed that religious liberty is an important social contract that allows those with conflicting worldviews to live in harmony.
“The command to seek peace is common to the world’s many faith traditions,” noted Elder Dushku. “Although we must sometimes defend our rights in court and other government forums, as people of faith, the imperative remains to promote and live together in a just and dignified peace. It is not merely enough to win for our particular faith community, as tempting as that can be. A win for ‘us’ that does not include justice for ‘them’ will not lead to peace. To be peacemakers, we must find practical, livable ways to honour and respect the beliefs and practices of all.”
Following the symposium’s conclusion, Elder Allen D. Haynie, chair of the Canadian Communication Executive Committee, invited the Canadian delegates to Church headquarters to discuss issues of religious freedom in Canada with Elder Dushku; Scott Peterson, area legal counsel for Canada; John Craig, area legal counsel for the U.K. and former Area Seventy in Canada; Kim Woodbury, area relations manager; Colton Miles, government relations manager; and Sandra Pallin, Canada communication director.