Commentary The Declaration of Independence is America’s charter. It’s the foundation on which our republic rests, which is why its most critical assertion remains relevant to every American. That assertion is that our essential rights, rights from which we can’t be separated as they’re intrinsic to our very humanity, come from God, not the government. And the implication of this claim—that our Creator has endowed us with those rights—is as powerful today as it was in 1776: The primary allegiance of every individual must be to God, not to any government. This is why religious liberty is so vital. If we can’t practice our most deeply held convictions, beliefs that determine how we live and what we value, then we’re merely wards of the state, hoping for an authoritarian government’s mercy. That’s true not just for Americans but for all people everywhere. It’s why religious liberty is critical to the …