On Tuesday, June 24 2025, scholars, clergy, and student leaders at Acton University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the luncheon forum “Free Speech on College Campuses: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives.” Organized by the Acton Institute’s Collins Center for Abrahamic Heritage, the event brought together three prominent voices: Dr Anthony Bradley, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Acton Institute; Lee Dranikoff, chair of Hillel International’s board of directors; and Lord Syed Kamall, member of the United Kingdom House of Lords and professor of politics. Their aim was to address the increasingly fraught relationship between rigorous academic inquiry and the obligation to ensure personal safety on American campuses.
The conversation unfolded against a backdrop of rising campus protests, speaker disinvitations, and heated debates over the Israel–Hamas war. The organizers framed the forum as an opportunity to explore how universities can uphold the freedom to question, critique, and debate while also protecting students who feel vulnerable because of their religious identities. By drawing on Christian, Jewish, and Muslim perspectives, the panel sought to show how shared moral principles can guide institutions that aspire to foster both intellectual openness and genuine inclusion.
The panelists affirmed that each tradition cherishes speech as a moral duty, whether described as prophetic witness, debate for the sake of heaven, or invitation to reason. The panel emphasized the importance of institutional clarity. Universities ought to adopt viewpoint-neutral policies that distinguish protected expression from genuine threats and that apply procedures consistently, regardless of political fashion. Further, education in civil discourse was presented as essential. Orientation programs, classroom curricula, and co-curricular partnerships were cited as practical avenues for teaching students to argue passionately while listening charitably.
