Paul Marshall

Paul Marshall is the Wilson Professor of Religious Freedom at Baylor University, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the Religious Freedom Institute, and a contributing editor of Providence.

All Author Content

Author Articles

Author Podcasts

Author Videos

What the Coronavirus Can Teach Us about Politics - COVID-19 Government
What the Coronavirus and Lockdowns Can Teach Us about Politics

Do not be too hard on politicians who struggle with and differ on their answers to these questions about the COVID-19 and the lockdowns. These are very hard things, and there is no indisputable right answer.

Muslims and Evangelicals form Joint Working Group to Counter Extremism

On April 20, members of the world’s largest Muslim organization and one of the world’s largest Christian organizations announced the creation of a joint working group to counter two threats to religious freedom and to society more broadly: religious extremism and secular extremism.

Do Government Restrictions on Larger Church Gathering Violate Religious Freedom?
Do Government Restrictions on Larger Church Gathering Violate Religious Freedom?

Some argue that government restrictions on larger church gatherings are a violation of religious freedom. Others argue they are responsible and legitimate. Paul Marshall believes both positions are, or can be, correct.

New Christian-Muslim Political Alliances?
New Christian-Muslim Political Alliances?

Christian and Muslim politicians and leaders reaching out to each other is one of the more hopeful signs in our increasingly divided world.

The Disjunction of Liberal Theory and Liberal Polities
The Disjunction of Liberal Theory and Liberal Polities

The confounding of contentious liberal theories with actual concrete polities stems from the assumption that liberal democratic states are somehow the product of liberal theories.

The State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights: Concerns and Five Recommendations

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s July 8 announcement of who would serve on the new State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights has drawn a wide critical reaction.

Robert Kagan and the Many Meanings of Liberalism
Robert Kagan and the Many Meanings of Liberalism

Despite his extravagant claim that liberalism alone can anchor any decent human life, Robert Kagan does not tell us what liberalism is in his Washington Post article.

Indonesian Presidential Election Win for Jokowi Is Good News
Indonesian Presidential Election Win for Jokowi Is Good News

Jokowi’s reelection helps cement democracy in Indonesia, a vitally important reason the US should warmly welcome it.

Goodbye Ahok, Hello “BTP”: Inside Indonesia’s Convoluted Politics
Goodbye Ahok, Hello “BTP”: Inside Indonesia’s Convoluted Politics

On January 24, 2019, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, formerly known by his nickname Ahok and now as “BTP,” was released from prison. What happens to him will tell us much about Indonesia’s political future.

Blasphemy Returns as a Political Weapon in Indonesia
Blasphemy Returns as a Political Weapon in Indonesia

A seemingly small incident in Indonesia is the first shot in the use of religion, specifically accusations of blasphemy, as a political weapon against President Jokowi in the ongoing presidential race.