Role of Religious Liberty

The Director of the South Atlantic Conference Religious Liberty Department provides religious liberty leadership for the South Atlantic Conference administration, coordination, and cooperation with the Southern Union Conference on issues of religious liberty and last-day events, professional assistance to the North American Division relating to the promotion of Liberty magazine, religious liberty education, special events, and policy development when requested.

This may include but is not limited to serving on committees, public speaking, sermons, Radio and TV appearances, and contacts with elected officials and human rights organizations. For local churches, these duties include training and informing local church religious liberty leaders and committees, sermons, seminars, and participation in special events as requested. Assistance is also available to local pastors and evangelists to help educate prospective members on issues of religious liberty, especially problems in the workplace and procedures for securing Sabbath accommodations.

The local church religious liberty leader serves as a promoter, communication link, and contact with the conference for religious liberty issues. It is important to maintain contacts with the SAC director to share information regarding local problems encountered by local churches or individual members of local churches. Efforts should be initiated to develop a network of individuals to keep informed on issues and actions at the local level regarding religious liberty. This network should include local thought leaders such as civic leaders, civil rights leaders, and local and state elected officials. While the church must be protected from efforts to unite church and state or mix religion and politics, it is essential to have a positive witness with community leaders and to appropriately support the efforts of others who serve humanity.

Responsibilities

• To promote the circulation of Liberty: a magazine of religious freedom” and other religious liberty-related literature.
• To advise church members concerning matters affecting religious liberty in the local area.
• To organize and stimulate religious liberty meetings and programs as circumstances require.
• To work with the pastor in aiding individuals who are experiencing problems involving religious liberty.
• The religious liberty leader usually serves on the Church Personal Ministries committee and on the Church board.

Ways to Promote Religious Liberty

Here are some ideas for promoting religious liberty in your community

• Plan a special Sabbath for religious liberty awareness at least once a year helping all to understand that when religious liberty is gone, our church ministries will follow.
• Arrange religious liberty seminars or panel discussions with local leaders or other invited guests to inform the community and the church membership.
• Arrange for religious liberty radio interviews or announcements to be aired on a local radio station.
• Send Liberty magazine to area pastors, judges, and attorneys. Also, buy a subscription for your local library.

Resources

Conscience & Justice Council

Links

• Public Affairs & Religious Liberty Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
• Liberty Magazine
• Liberty Magazine (archive)
• North American Religious Liberty Association
• Seventh-day Adventist Church State Council
• Religious Liberty Leadership Manual
  Stay Up to Date on Religious Liberty Issues