Faith, Freedom, and the Unfinished Nation

Salt Lake City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 27, 2026 · 2m

Fifty years ago, during the nation’s bicentennial, religious communities sparked a powerful conversation about patriotism—not as celebration alone, but as active democratic practice. Across faiths, from Catholic to Latter-day Saint, congregations united to honor religious freedom as the bedrock of democracy, embracing diversity not as a problem but as a strength. They used the occasion to reflect honestly on national symbols, blending gratitude with prayers for justice, and included Native American voices to confront the painful legacy of colonization. This era showed that true patriotism…