Dear Scott,
It would be a mistake to interpret the House's April 7 letter as an
attack on the notion of academic freedom. What they are criticizing is
the attempt to misuse the term in a Baha'i religious context. Academic
freedom is the freedom of teachers, students, and academic
institutions to pursue knowledge wherever it may lead, without undue
or unreasonable interference on the part of the institutions which
employ them. It has nothing to do with the freedom to believe whatever
you want in a religious community. Religious communities, after all,
are usually defined by their beliefs. Those who don't hold those
beliefs don't really belong in the community.
When John Locke wrote his famous treatise on Religious Tolerance he
was not only defending the write of citizens within a state to follow
whatever religion they wish, but he was at the same time defending the
right of churches to define their own membership. In other words, for
Locke religious tolerance and the right of churches to excommunicate
people went hand in hand.
warmest, Susan
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