Defending Faith on Campus: New Initiative Launched Amid Rising Intolerance

In response to increasing intolerance and antisemitism on college campuses, the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) has launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at safeguarding religious rights in academic settings. Announced last week, the Campus Faith Alliance will begin operations at several universities this fall, offering a unified front for religious student groups to defend their freedoms. RFI President David Trimble highlighted the urgent need for such an alliance, citing “growing challenges for students of faith on America’s college campuses.” Trimble explained that the initiative was born from the realization that religious student groups share a common cause in defending the right to religious freedom, and would greatly benefit from coalition-building to address the threats they face.

The Campus Faith Alliance is not just a reaction to overt acts of antisemitism and unrest that have plagued elite universities, but also a response to more subtle pressures that undermine the expression of faith. Trimble emphasized that religious freedom is rooted in the principle of human dignity and the right to explore life’s ultimate questions without fear of violence, coercion, or intimidation. “Religious freedom says, ‘I can disagree with you even on life’s most important questions while still respecting your dignity,’” Trimble stated, underscoring the need for this message to be relearned on campuses today. The Alliance, with pilot chapters at select schools, aims to foster peaceful pluralism and empower students to live out their faith confidently during this formative time in their lives.