Contact: Blair Watkinson, 720-778-1517

DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 4, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- Presidential Candidates Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Mike Huckabee, and Governor Bobby Jindal will address National Religious Liberties Conference attendees on Nov. 6 at the Iowa Events Center. Freedom 2015 is a gathering of over 1,700 Christians celebrating the religious liberties codified into the founding of our country. Speakers and attendees alike will encourage those who have been persecuted for their religious beliefs and discuss religious liberties for Christian business owners, teachers, evangelists, chaplains, employees and churches. The conference is sponsored by over a dozen evangelical organizations including American Family Association, Liberty Institute, Samaritan Ministries and Generations.

"Despite the bedrock of religious liberty upon which this nation was founded, we've seen a marked erosion of these liberties over the past few years," explained Kevin Swanson, the conference organizer. "It's more than bakers being forced to make cakes they don't want to make and photographers forced to photograph weddings they don't want to attend or risk losing their family businesses. Last week, a high school football coach in Washington was suspended and threatened to be fired for praying privately." Swanson cited other issues including the Iowa newspaper editor who was fired last year for religious beliefs expressed in a personal blog and several years ago a public school official in Texas who was denied a promotion because she refused to remove her children from a private Christian school.

"We're thankful for presidential candidates who affirm religious liberties in our nation. We want to encourage Christians in their homes, churches and workplaces by helping them understand the freedoms that are theirs by the grace of God and by the law of the land," added Swanson.

In addition to the presidential candidates, conference speakers include:

• Persecuted Christians David and Jason Benham, Richard & Betty Odgaard, SMSgt Phillip Monk, Aaron & Melissa Klein and Randy Pfaff
   
• Religious freedom advocates Kelly Schackelford, Rafael Cruz, James Lansberry, Brigadier General Douglas Lee, USA (ret), Bob Vander Plaats, Bradley Pierce and Chuck Hurley

Conference speakers will address religious liberty in the military, medical care, parenting, education and the workplace.

Conference registration and livestreaming is available at Freedom2015.org. Media contact Blair Watkinson, Director of Media Relations, for more information: 720-778-1517 or media@freedom2015.org.