In a 1792 essay about property, James Madison wrote: “Conscience is the most sacred of all property,” noting that “religious opinions” and “the profession and practice dictated by them” are of “peculiar value.” The George Washington University School of Law and the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University bring together leading scholars for an exploration of Madison’s evocative statement by looking at rights of conscience generally throughout American history.
Speaker List
The conference will feature remarks from a wide range of scholars, historians, academics, and thought leaders, including:
Mary Sarah Bilder
Justin Collings
Paul S. Edwards
Jonathan Eig
Micheal Federici
Robert P. George
Thomas B Griffith
Mark David Hall
Nell Irvin Painter
Jonathan Rauch
Bradley Rebeiro
Jeffrey Rosen
University
Tim Shriver
Alan Taylor
Rosemarie Zagarri
University
Registration and Event Details
Registration for the conference is open until Sept. 9. Sessions begin at 9:00 AM EDT at George Washington University campus and conclude at 3:30 PM EDT. Both breakfast and lunch provided for participants.
The conference will explore the impact of key American thought leaders, including:
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Madison
- Sojourner Truth
- Orestes Brownson
- Joseph Smith
- Angelina Grimké
- Roger Sherman
- Frederick Douglass
- Louis Brandeis
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Mary Ann Glendon
Evening Keynote: Faith, Freedom, and the Common Good
Following the conference a keynote address will be offered by President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the Washington National Cathedral at 6:00 PM EDT; which will be followed by a panel featuring Jeffrey Rosen, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Melody Barnes, and Rabbi David Saperstein.
In-person passes for the National Cathedral keynote are now at capacity. Livestream registration is available here.
Sponsors
The conference is co-sponsored by Wheatley Institute and the George Washington University School of Law, with generous support from the National Cathedral for the evening keynote.