The recent announcement that the Vatican has renewed for another two years its understanding with the People’s Republic of China over the nomination and installation of Roman Catholic bishops in China raises important questions about the concepts of freedom of conscience and of association.

China’s government, among all of the relatively important countries in the world, is one of the most egregious in its suppression of religious liberty. But almost all of the governments in the western world are more or less diligently constraining or trespassing in areas of traditionally legitimate interest to religious groups and individuals.