Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced Wednesday morning the formation of a board to advise him on matters of religious liberty.
Marco is a leader of faith who understands that our country was rooted in the principle of religious liberty,” his campaign said in a press release announcing the new board. “As he strives to uphold this founding principle, he seeks guidance from faith leaders across the country who are dedicated to defending it.”
The Rubio campaign’s director of faith outreach, Eric Teetsel, said religious liberty is the “cornerstone of the American experiment,” and that Rubio believes no one should ever be prevented from living according to their religious beliefs or coerced into doing something they don’t believe in. He said, in recent years, the debate over the role of religion and people of faith in the public square has risen yet again.
“The next president must stand up and defend the religious liberty of all citizens,” he said. “Marco and our team are honored to have at our disposal the collective wisdom of America’s foremost defenders of religious liberty. This diverse group represents men and women of many faiths and perspectives, including academics, pastors and advocates. We intend to take full advantage of their input and wisdom as Sen. Rubio fights to protect Americans’ religious liberty in the 21st century.”
The advisory board includes:
- Dr. Carlos Campo, President, Ashland University
- Vincent Bacote, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Center for Applied Christian Ethics, Wheaton College
- Kyle Duncan, former general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead counsel for the Green family in the Hobby Lobby case
- Tom Farr, Ph.D., Director, Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs and Associate Professor of the Practice of Religion and World Affairs, Georgetown University
- Kellie Fiedorek, Legal Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom
- Wayne Grudem, Ph.D., Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary
- The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary
- Dr. Thomas Kidd, Distinguished Professor of History and Associate Director, Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University
- Dr. Daniel Mark, Villanova University; Commissioner, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
- Michael McConnell, Richard and Frances Mallery Professor and director of the Constitutional Law Center, Stanford University Law School
- Doug Napier, Senior Counsel and Executive Vice President, Alliance Defending Freedom
- Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
- Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel; Director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, Yeshiva University
- Rick Warren, Founding Pastor of Saddleback Church
- Thomas White, Ph.D., President and Professor of Theology, Cedarville University
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