Libertà religiosa

Religious freedom has increasingly taken center stage in post-conciliar Catholic magisterium, both in the reflection on the correct patterns of Church-State articulation and the practice of interreligious dialogue. In particular, the tortuous path that led the Catholic Church to achieve a non-relativistic foundation of religious freedom seems to be potentially relevant for the Islamic world, which is faced today with the same problem. Compared to the period of Dignitatis Humanae, however, the real novelty of our time is represented by the digital revolution. On the one hand, this allows for troubling forms of control of the conscience, but on the other hand it facilitates individual paths of spiritual research, increasing the opportunities of changing religious affiliation (or opting for no affiliation). The picture is therefore a contrast of light and dark. And yet, one thing is certain: religious freedom will continue to be central also in the future, because it touches the most intimate dimensions of the human person.