President-elect Obama, you spoke truthfully when you said that "[o]ur law is by definition a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition." That being the case, it is, as you note, a "practical absurdity" to expect Americans not to "inject their 'personal morality' into public policy debates." We agree with you that "[s]ecularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square."

Our Constitution rightly forbids establishing an official national church, but it does not call for the separation of religion from politics. Doing so would clearly be "out of tune" with the proper understanding of the role that "religion and morality play in the civic and public life of a self-governing people." Americans are, as you note, "a religious people." From our earliest days as a nation, religion and morality have been "indispensable supports of good habits, the firmest props of the duties of citizens, and the great pillars of human happiness."

During your presidency, you will likely be challenged to ignore or violate these founding precepts by some who think that religion has no place in the civic arena. As you have noted, "there are some liberals who dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical." This dismissive approach misunderstands or ignores the prominent role that religion plays in nurturing morality and sustaining freedom, moral discernment, and a healthy social order. Accordingly, you should resist attempts to purge religion from public life and at the same time articulate the importance of "protecting the right of all individuals to honor their consciences and practice their religious beliefs."

In particular, your Administration should give its full-throated support to the following policies:

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