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freedom of religion

freedom of religion

24 2.8
The right to practice any religion or have no religion without the government stopping you
  • noun
  • /ˈfriːdəm əv rɪˈlɪdʒən/
  • Formal
translation icon : libertad de religión
  • Everyone is entitled to the freedom of religion and conscience.
  • freedom of religion and conscience
  • freedom of religion and speech
  • right to freedom of religion

I am more in favor of freedom of religion than anyone I've ever met.

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Examples

  • Maryland is often lauded for being the first colony to pass legislation allowing freedom of religion.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government respects the right to practice ...

    Academic text (2004)
  • Where does a parent's freedom of religion end when confronted with a sick child?

    Academic text (1990)
  • Everyone is entitled to freedom of religion and other forms of belief.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The Indonesian government should respect freedom of religion, freedom of expression and equal rights for all women and girls.

  • The headscarf debate has been cast in terms of civil rights, especially regarding the freedom of religion.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Court battles ensuring freedom of religion have a long and detailed history (Hamburger, 2002).

    Academic text (2006)
  • In 1977, a constitutional amendment interpreting the freedom of religion clause declared that India was a secular state.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The drafters produced a document that assured freedom of religion and nodded toward Islam without basing the state on it.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, allowing individuals to practice any faith they choose.

Antonyms

97 6.5

Cruel, unfair treatment of people because of their race, religion, or beliefs

How Free

freedom of thought
  • Formal
3 3.7
freedom of religion
  • Formal
24 2.8
social control
  • Specialized
4 5.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

freedom + of + religion

The meaning is directly compositional: 'freedom' (ability/right) plus the linking 'of' and 'religion' (a belief system) yields the idea of freedom relating to religion, so a learner who knows the parts can infer it. The 'freedom of X' pattern is a common, cross-linguistic civic/political construction, making the civil-rights sense predictable for B1 learners.

Etymology

The phrase freedom of religion puts freedom next to religion, so picture people free to enter a church, mosque, temple or to walk away without being stopped. That's why it means 'the right to follow any religion or no religion without the government stopping you'.