Religious Liberty Commission Warns Threats Are Not Disappearing After Final Meeting

Members of the Religious Liberty Commission gathered in Washington, D.C., on April 13, 2026, for their final scheduled meeting. The commission, created by President Donald Trump, reviewed recommendations for protecting religious freedom and called for ongoing vigilance.

Bishop Robert Barron, a panel member, said the principal enemy of religious liberty is what he called the "ideology of self invention." He described it as a worldview that denies objective moral values and places individual choice as the sole measure of purpose.

Barron pointed to several specific concerns: rising anti-religious violence, increasingly aggressive attitudes toward medical professionals who hold religious objections, and government mandates covering abortion, contraception, IVF, and gender transition surgeries.

Sister Mary Elizabeth of the Sisters of Life testified about legal challenges facing faith-based ministries. She described cases where religious organizations have faced pressure to act against their beliefs as a condition of operating.

Commission members said the work of protecting religious liberty must continue beyond their formal mandate. They noted that threats to faith communities are appearing in new forms and that no single commission can address them all.

The panel's final report is expected to include specific policy recommendations for Congress and federal agencies. Members said they hope the report will serve as a roadmap for future efforts to defend religious freedom across the country.