On March 28, however, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a revision. The phrase \u201cfreedom of worship\u201d\u009d would be changed to \u201cfreedom of religion.\u201d\u009d The notice came in a letter from the agency\u2019s director, Leon Rodriguez, to Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican who called for the correction last year.<\/p>\n
The switch allows the naturalization exam to reflect the actual language of the Constitution: The word \u201cworship\u201d\u009d does not appear anywhere in its text, whereas the First Amendment promises \u201cthe free exercise\u201d\u009d of \u201creligion.\u201d\u009d This might look like a slight edit, trivial at best and pedantic at worst. Isn\u2019t \u201cfreedom of worship\u201d\u009d the same thing as \u201cfreedom of religion\u201d\u009d?<\/p>\n
Not at all, and more is at stake than a semantic squabble over which words immigrants memorize as they prepare to become citizens. Redefining \u201creligion\u201d\u009d as merely \u201cworship\u201d\u009d diminishes religious freedom by pushing aside important aspects of faith, from street-corner proselytizing to engaging in political life from a religious perspective.<\/p>\n