Trump commission urges stronger role for religion in government

Key Points:

• A Trump administration Religious Liberty Commission draft report proposes replacing the principle of separation of church and state with fostering cooperation between religion and government, advocating for expanded religious expression in public institutions.
• The 224-page report supports eliminating the Johnson Amendment, increasing public funding for faith-based agencies, broadening conscientious exemptions, and creating new honors recognizing religious liberty.
• Critics argue the commission lacks ideological diversity, inadequately addresses anti-Muslim bias, and promotes divisive conservative religious agendas, with some groups filing lawsuits challenging its composition.
• The report aligns with recent Supreme Court decisions permitting more religious expression in public settings but downplays strict church-state separation, framing it as a misapplied concept rather than advocating for theocracy.
• The commission's emphasis on religion overlooks the growing population of non-religious Americans, and the report has sparked controversy amid broader debates over religion's role in public life and government policy.