by Jorge Gomez • 2 min read + video
Will America soon transform from a nation that protects religious freedom, to one that only tolerates religion?
Is this pandemic and constitutional crisis a sign that government is no longer the guardian of our constitutional liberties?
What are the bigger costs that our country pays when churches, synagogues and religious schools are shut down nationwide?
These are some of the most pressing questions we were able to discuss with nationally renowned economist, Dr. Anne Bradley, in a recent episode of First Liberty Live!
As one of our nation’s brightest economic minds, Dr. Bradley serves as the George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and Academic Director at the Fund for American Studies.
Dr. Bradley previously served as the vice president of economic initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, where she continues research toward a systematic biblical theology of economic freedom. In addition to her work with TFAS, she is a professor of economics at The Institute for World Politics and Grove City College. She is a visiting professor at George Mason University and has previously taught at Georgetown University and Charles University in Prague.
In this exclusive interview, Dr. Bradley gives her expert analysis on the pandemic lockdowns, and how these are taking a serious toll on religious liberty, as well as imposing a heavy cost on many other important civil and economic freedoms.
Additionally, Dr. Bradley explains the dangers of government dictating what sectors and institutions are “essential” and which ones are not, including why downgrading churches to “non-essential” status and making religious freedom a second-class right pose a danger to the health of the American republic.
Most applicable to people of faith who are worried about the government takeover of their liberties, Dr. Bradley warns that’s it’s crucial to look beyond the “benefits” presented by policymakers about the immediate needs to shut down churches and religious schools. As an economist, she helps us understand that there are always “costs” when government leaders make decisions—and while some costs can be measured in dollars and cents, there are other high price that’s often paid with the loss of our cherished freedoms.
Watch the video below: