Religious Freedom, Morality and Law: John Courtney Murray Today

Abstract

John Courtney Murray’s impact on the thought of religious freedom in the Church not only in the United States but the universal church can hardly be exaggerated. His influence can be seen in Vatican II’s Dignitatis Humanae and on the later thought of John Paul II and Benedict XVI’s affirmations of Murray’s insistence on religious liberty. His legacy is twofold: first, that any Catholic theologian must presuppose the inviolable right to religious freedom before discussing religion and the public life, and second, that the Church has gained a more respected voice in the arena of justice, human rights, and public morality.