In a world that appears to be increasingly hostile to Christianity, many Christians are supporting religious freedom on pragmatic grounds. However, reading the Old Testament, one has a hard time seeing the Bible as unequivocally in favor of religious freedom. Witchcraft is a capital offense under the Old Covenant, for example. I think the Bible is silent about how to approach the issue in a pluralistic society (which the nation of Israel was not supposed to be). Paul did not smash the idols at Mars Hill, but had Christians possessed political power, what would he have thought about allowing them to remain? I honestly don't know.

Christians have not always supported religious freedom. The Puritans escaped England to escape religious persecution, but did not tolerate other viewpoints. Catholics were openly persecuted in some colonies. However, Americans seem to generally accept that Roger Williams (a devout Christian) had the right idea in allowing religious freedom when he set up Rhode Island.