Throughout this year’s 250 th anniversary, Interfaith Philadelphia explored and celebrated “Religious Freedom: Then and Now.” Philadelphia’s historic role as the incubator of one of our nation’s most enduring ideals—religious liberty—lives on today. Throughout the year, Interfaith Philadelphia’s yearlong offerings have rooted the community in foundational stories of the past through lectures, panels, and workshops hosted by twelve of Philadelphia’s most historic congregations. Philadelphians and tourists alike have visited their unique histories, discovering new and sometimes surprising perspectives through a self-guided walking tour.
At the National Constitution Center, audiences from Philadelphia, across the country, and across the world honored His Holiness Pope Leo XIV with the 38th annual Liberty Medal on July 3, 2026, and reflected on how America’s founding ideals of freedom of religion, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression continue to resonate globally.
As 2026 comes to an end, we are left with probing questions: What are the challenges facing religious freedom today? How can we live into the promise of pluralistic democracy? What will ready us to reach out to our neighbors of different faiths and worldviews? How can we truly dare to understand?
Join us for a culminating event as we reflect on our religiously diverse democracy today and into the next 250 years.
View the exhibition Pennsylvania’s Founding: How a City and a Colony Shaped America’s Civic DNA from 5:30 to 6:00 pm, followed by A Conversation on Religious Freedom panel discussion, moderated by Vince Stango, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center.
The event will also include the unveiling of a Religious Freedom Digital Quilt and sharing of impactful moments from 2026.
This program is part of the Religious Freedom: Then & Now initiative.
