Decades ago secularisation theory was the dominant theme - as the world became more modern, the world would become less religious. This has proven erroneous. Religion has increased in the world. Not only has it increased in the world out there, globalisation means that "Everyone is now everywhere."
The challenge therefore is how are we then to live together in this deeply divided pluralistic world? How do we keep open, civil engagement with these widely differing perspectives? The Agora in ancient Athens was the public square for discussions and debates of every stripe. Here, the cradle of democracy first made its home.
Freedom of speech follows closely on the heels of freedom of conscience. Freedom of association completes the triumvirate. Where today, do we find a venue filling the role of the Agora? In the modern world it fell to the media, the "fourth estate" became the custodian of the new "civic square".
New Zealand, like other Western democracies, has enjoyed freedoms of a quality and extent that could only be dreamed about in other countries. But "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance". One of the biggest enemies of freedom is freedom. A freedom that expresses itself in absolute autonomy leads to tolerating intolerable things. People abuse that freedom when they use their liberty to impinge on others' freedoms.
The Judeo/Christian heritage that still influences our thinking even when not given its proper due, has - when properly practised - always accorded the freedom to disbelieve and the freedom of respectful dissent.
