The United Church of Christ, in which I served, has long affirmed the principle of freedom of the pulpit and freedom of the pews. This is a longstanding tenet of the UCC’s theological heritage, rooted in the concept that there is no central authority dictating doctrine or worship. Individual ministers and members are free to express their faith and engage in theological reflection without external constraints. The church does not dictate what a pastor can say in the pulpit. While the pastor’s beliefs and opinions may, at times, conflict with those of individual members, pastors cannot dictate the beliefs and views of individual members. The church trusts the power of the Gospel to speak directly to each member.

While this principle has long been a part of our heritage, it has not always worked out in practice. As I was beginning my career as a pastor, many local pastors were speaking out against US participation in the Vietnam War. This was seen as unpatriotic by some members of the church and conflicts between pastors and congregations sometimes became so deep that the pastors were dismissed from their positions. Congregations were divided in their opinions about the war and the role of the United States in it, and they turned to pastors for leadership and guidance. In many cases, pastors helped guide congregations through careful study and reflection, allowing members to form their own opinions and take their own actions. In other cases, the gulf between the convictions of members became so deep that congregations split over the conflict.

It wasn’t the only time in the history of the church where deep divisions over social issues formed. Pastors came into conflict with congregations over the practice of slavery. Although the predecessor denominations of the United Church of Christ adopted an anti-slavery position early in the history of our country, many members continued to participate in slavery as long as it was legal. Preaching against slavery resulted in the loss of jobs for pastors, the division of congregations, and, in some cases, the closing of churches.

Other social positions have resulted in conflict between pastors and congregations, including racial justice, reproductive rights, justice for LGBTQ+ members, and equal access to marriage.

Our denomination is not the only religious group that has struggled with freedom of the pulpit. The concept is a deeply honored tradition in other denominations as well as in other faith groups. Jewish Rabbis also have a long history of freedom of expression and interpretation. Arguing about the meaning of scriptural texts is deeply ingrained in Judaism, and leaders are honored with both freedom and responsibility to seek the truth as they understand it.

These traditions are deeply rooted in the conviction that God’s truth is more profound than the opinions of individuals. No human authority, regardless of the power it wields, is capable of knowing or possessing the complete truth. As such, the centralization of power has been held suspect among faithful people since before the time of the prophets. The prophetic tradition in scripture informs this suspicion.

Human freedom encompasses more than religious beliefs and opinions on social justice. For millennia, scholars have been urged to seek the truth even when their discoveries open new ways of understanding.

Authoritarian leaders are threatened by the concept of individual freedom. They seek to control the sources of information, co-opting news outlets in favor of propaganda, controlling funding of scientific research, and seizing control of religious institutions. Such efforts can be highly effective in the short term, but ultimately end in failure. The quest for freedom and truth is deeper than the power of politicians. Despots arise, but they also fall. Repressive regimes may last for a long time, but the will of the people eventually arises.

The current autocratic leadership of the government of the United States is seeking to control the expression of ideas and opinions that differ from those of the president and his inner circle. They have used economic pressure as their primary tool, cutting federal funding to institutions that have supported the freedom to speak out and filing lawsuits that generally would not be successful in the courts, but can cost defenders massive amounts of money. In many cases, it appears that the oppressive tactics are working. Longstanding institutions of education are struggling. Scientific research is being curtailed. Sources of news are being silenced.

Truth, however, cannot long be suppressed. It will rise again. A symbol of that resilience may be found in a particular genre of music. I’ve heard people proclaim that classical music is dead for much of my life. However, I have had the privilege of listening to young musicians playing classical music. The passion that 15- to 18-year-olds can bring to music that is hundreds of years old is incredible. I have been privileged to listen to young musicians and know that the rise in popularity of other musical genres does not threaten the power and beauty of classical music.

In an attempt to control independent media, congress has defunded the American institution of public broadcasting. The closing of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting threatens will have widespread fallout. It has been estimated that 96% of all classical music broadcast in the United States is on public radio stations. Access to classical music will be severely limited in many areas as a result of these decisions.

Classical music, however, will not die in this generation. As the Nazis learned in their attempts to weaponize music, often playing out their brutal oppressions against a backdrop of forced musical performances, the music is stronger than the current political regime.

It may be harder to access classical music, but the music will remain powerful. Courageous teachers will continue to introduce music to eager students who will infuse it with passion and energy. The big concert halls may go silent for a while, but the music will remain.

Like the music, the truth will continue. Its expression may be suppressed in some settings for a while, but lies and liars do not live forever.