The establishment of basic religious freedoms has taken centuries, and has brought incalculable blessings where these freedoms have taken root. The broader relations between religion and society are still being sorted out, often with great controversy, even in this twenty-first century. Christian Science practice has a history of advocating for religious freedom while working with society from the standard of the Golden Rule.

Christian Science holds a sincere appreciation for divine government, human law, individual conscience and respecting others. The article shared here from The Christian Science Sentinel includes two letters that illustrate the underlying values that members of the denomination seek to bring to their relations with [the] larger world. The first, written [in 2016], concerns issues surrounding a controversial health-care law in the United States. The second, prompted by [an] incident of vandalism of a church, recalls an earlier period when Christian Scientists in Germany were among many people of faith who faced persecution and prejudice and their response of goodwill to support healing.

Christian Scientists acknowledge that Christ Jesus gave his followers a simple rule for navigating their relation with the state. Challenged by questions to choose between obedience to the Roman law and obedience to God, he responded: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (see Mark 12:13–17 ).

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