Is Free Speech Biblical?

It seems freedom of speech is on everyone’s minds these days. Whether it’s mobs protesting at university lecture halls, selective Facebook algorithms, or frozen Twitter accounts, the prevailing concern in our culture today is that we’re losing our rights to express ourselves freely.

But is freedom of speech a God given right? Most people think the answer is an obvious ‘yes’. It might surprise you to know, however, that while the Bible may affirm some notions of free speech, western principles of individual rights and free speech don’t actually come from the Bible. Rather, they are borne out of humanistic philosophy.

Now, this doesn’t mean Christians are against freedom of speech, or shouldn’t care about advocating for individual rights. It does, however, mean we need to think more carefully about our reactions and responses to attacks on freedom of speech.

In this episode, Scott and Shawn dive into the subject of free speech in order to better understand its historic roots, and how it became enshrined as an almost sacred right in our cultural consciousness. They also look at the more recent movements of our cancel culture to restrict free speech, it’s potential impact on gospel proclamation and witness, as well as instruction from Scripture on how Christians should respond when our speech comes under attack.