A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke

In his LETTER CONCERNING TOLERATION, political theorist John Locke lays out a classical case in favor of religious toleration. Locke's support for toleration stems from the European wars of religion, wherein he notes that human beings are notoriously poor judges of competing religious traditions. Ultimately, since religious belief cannot be enforced by violence, social order is best upheld by allowing diversity of thought.