Paying Close Attention

Recent discussions surrounding Project 2025—a policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation—have renewed long-standing concerns within the Seventh-day Adventist community about religious liberty and Sabbath freedom. While the project broadly promotes “religious liberty,” its underlying policy approach raises important questions about whose religious practices are protected—and whose may be unintentionally restricted.

Sunday Law Impact

Of particular concern is a recent Heritage Foundation report advocating for uniform Sunday “day of rest” laws, commonly known as blue laws. Supporters argue that these measures would strengthen families, promote community cohesion, and restore shared moral rhythms to society.

However, history and lived experience tell a more complicated story. Such laws have traditionally privileged Sunday-observing Christian traditions while placing disproportionate economic and social burdens on those who observe the biblical Sabbath on Saturday.

Religious Liberty Beyond Worship

For Seventh-day Adventists, religious liberty has never meant merely the freedom to worship privately. It includes the freedom to live out one’s faith openly and consistently—without coercion, penalty, or indirect pressure from the state.

Even when framed in secular or family-friendly language, uniform Sunday laws risk undermining this broader understanding of liberty. By elevating one religious rhythm over others, they can marginalize minority faith communities without delivering the promised outcomes of moral renewal or family stability.

A Call for Neutrality and Conscience

True religious liberty flourishes not when one day or tradition is elevated by law, but when government remains neutral—allowing conscience, rather than compulsion, to guide faith and practice.

For Adventists, this moment calls for thoughtful engagement, prayerful vigilance, and a renewed commitment to defending liberty of conscience for all.