Describe the religious freedom protections afforded in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights and provides several fundamental freedoms, including protections for religious liberty. The relevant text of the First Amendment regarding religious freedom reads:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

This text establishes two core protections for religious freedom:

1. The Establishment Clause: This clause prohibits the federal government from establishing an official religion or favoring one religion over another. It ensures that the government remains neutral in religious matters and does not support or endorse any particular religious doctrine. This has been interpreted to mean that there can be no state-sponsored church, as was common in many European countries at the time of the founding of the United States, and that government actions must not have the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion.

2. The Free Exercise Clause: This clause guarantees individuals the right to practice their religion freely, without interference from the government, as long as the practice does not run afoul of public morals or a compelling governmental interest. It means that individuals have the right to hold any religious belief and to practice their religion as they see fit, including the right to change religions or not follow any religion at all. However, this freedom is not absolute; the government can intervene if religious practices violate criminal laws, endanger public safety, or infringe upon the rights of others.

Together, these two clauses of the First Amendment protect the religious diversity of the United States and ensure that individuals can freely practice their religion or choose not to be religious at all, without fear of government coercion or punishment. The protections afforded by the First Amendment have been the subject of numerous Supreme Court cases, which have further defined the extent and limitations of religious freedom in the United States.