A commitment to religious liberty demands that effort be devoted to resolving, rather than exacerbating, any real or apparent tension between religious obligation and civil duty.

The U.S. Senate late Jan. 16 unanimously adopted a resolution "to reaffirm religious liberty and condemn religious tests for federal officials."

Fearing reprisals from militant groups, Britain shies away from offering asylum to Asia Bibi, a Catholic woman whose death sentence for blasphemy against Islam has been thrown out by judges in Pakistan.

It has been a month since Asia Bibi was acquitted of blasphemy, but her ordeal is far from over.

“Religious Freedom in the World 2018” found worsening conditions for religious freedom in 17 nations, citing attacks on Christians in India and Iraq.

Before the vote, the Irish bishops called the law against blasphemy “largely obsolete,” and its demise makes for a more constructive social arrangement than Catholic hegemony.