The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty marked its annual Canterbury Medal dinner this year at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, commemorating a 12th-century conflict between King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas Becket that underscored the principle of religious authority distinct from secular power. The event highlighted the continuing struggle to protect religious freedom in the United States, emphasizing the diversity of faith traditions that find common cause in this cause.

Founded in 1994 by attorney Kevin “Seamus” Hasson, the Becket Fund was created to address a gap in legal advocacy for religious liberty, operating much like prominent civil rights organizations but focused exclusively on faith-based protections. The organization has grown into a significant force defending religious exercise across a broad spectrum of beliefs, ranging from Native American tribal ceremonies to Orthodox Judaism and Islam.

The dinner, held near Independence Hall—the site where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were crafted—drew attendees representing diverse religious backgrounds. Among them was Pastor Robert Soto, a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe, who testified to Becket’s successful efforts to uphold Native American religious rights, including the use of eagle feathers in ceremonial practices. The event also included representatives of the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic religious order that successfully challenged government contraceptive mandates in multiple Supreme Court cases.

The Becket Fund’s legal work spans a range of recent notable cases. Following the October 2023 escalation of violence initiated by Hamas from Gaza, Becket intervened to address antisemitic harassment at the University of California, Los Angeles, resulting in a court settlement prohibiting discriminatory “Jew Exclusion Zones” on campus. Earlier cases include the 2020 Supreme Court decision in Agudath Israel v. Cuomo, which ruled against New York state’s unequal COVID-19 restrictions targeting Orthodox Jewish communities, and Holt v. Hobbs (2015), which secured the right of a Muslim inmate to maintain religious grooming standards.

Mark Rienzi, Becket’s president and CEO, observed that the country’s constitutional framework has enabled a religious landscape far more varied than even the Founders expected, fostering cooperation among faiths often in conflict elsewhere. The organization prides itself on representing a wide array of religious traditions, from Anglicans to Zoroastrians, and maintains an undefeated record in the Supreme Court with 13 victories, six unanimous.

As the nation observes the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Becket’s work reflects ongoing challenges to religious liberty, including government actions, societal pressures, and cultural disputes. The organization continues its mission as a legal advocate for the free exercise of religion, underscoring the idea that religious freedom remains a fundamental American value despite differing beliefs and practices.