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How far should religious practices be curtailed in pursuit of other social goals, such as equality and the removal of discrimination? This book reasons that religious freedom is one of our most precious freedoms, and essential to democracy, drawing on examples from across the Western world.
The essays and articles selected for this volume analyze what is generally understood by freedom of religion and belief in today’s world. The different aspects of this fundamental right are considered from the contents of freedom of religion, to the possible limitations of this freedom; and from the freedom of, or freedom from, conundrum to the question of the collective or individual right. This volume reflects legal, philosophical and international perspectives, addresses numerous unanswered questions and offers an effective overview of the current literature and debate in this aspect of the discipline of law and religion.
As the world enters the 21st Century, the challenges in implementing freedom of religion or belief grow more complex and more acute. How can the internationally recognized norms regarding freedom of religion or belief be meaningful for all – women and men, majorities and minorities, established religions and new religious movements, parents and children? How can tolerance, mutual respect and understanding be globally expanded? How does freedom of religion or belief relate to other human rights? Launched by the Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief, this deskbook anthology is designed as a single-volume resource for all who are concerned with facilitating improved global complianc...
Winner of the 2019 James Madison Prize for Outstanding Research in First Amendment Studies. What are the arguments for and against government restrictions on religious beliefs and practices? To what extent can or should government support religion? Why is religious liberty important? Now a comprehensive anthology comprising 300 important writings on religious liberty is available to address and examine these questions, and Smith provides the important historical grounding and philosophical positions that guide readers through these significant selections. It will remain a significant reference work to facilitate reasoned discussions of freedom of religion, whether for education or advocacy, in the classroom or the public sphere. This outstanding collection should be in every library and on the desk of anyone seeking to understand or shape public policies affecting religious liberty.
Violations of religious freedom and violence committed in the name of religion grab our attention on a daily basis. Freedom of religion or belief is a key human right: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, numerous conventions, declarations and soft law standards include specific provisions on freedom of religion or belief. The 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief has been interpreted since 1986 by the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. Special Rapporteurs (for example those on racism, freedom of expression, minority issues and cultural rights) and Treaty Bodie...
Rex Ahdar and Ian Leigh present a critique of how religious freedom should be understood in liberal legal systems, based on historical and contemporary controversies.
Restrictions with respect to religious freedom have been in place in authoritarian states for a number of years. We can observe a new period of co-operation between authoritarian states and "state" churches. Some churches have assumed a clearly political position, even in belligerent conflicts, by justifying wars, criminalizing their religious competitors and, thereby, exploiting the Christian Gospel for non-Christian purposes. In this volume, scholars from Europe and North America discuss the core objective of religious freedom in the West and East seeking measures to encourage religions to act and interact, independent of deliberate political stances - to maintain their distance from territorial governments and to strengthen the principle of religious freedom and, thereby, their own denomination as well.
Religious freedom has achieved broad consensus as a condition for peace. Faced with reports of a rise in religious violence and a host of other social ills, public, and private actors have responded with laws and policies designed to promote freedom of religion. But what precisely is being promoted? What are the assumptions underlying this response? The contributions to this volume unsettle the assumption that religious freedom is a singular achievement and that the problem lies in its incomplete accomplishment. Delineating the different conceptions of religious freedom predominant in the world today, as well as their histories and political contexts, the contributions make clear that the reasons for violence and discrimination are more complex than is widely acknowledged. The promotion of a single legal and cultural tool meant to address conflict across a wide variety of cultures can have the perverse effect of exacerbating the problems that plague the communities often cited as falling short. -- from back cover.
What is the place assigned to religion in the constitutions of contemporary States? What role is religion expected to perform in the fields that are the object of constitutional regulation? Is separation of religion and politics a necessary precondition for democracy and the rule of law? These questions are addressed in this book through an analysis of the constitutional texts that are in force in different parts of the world. Constitutions are at the centre of almost all contemporary legal systems and provide the principles and values that inspire the action of the national law-makers. After a discussion of some topics that are central to the constitutional regulation of religion, the book considers a number of national systems covering countries with a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds. The final section of the book is devoted to the discussion of the constitutional regulation of some particularly controversial issues, such as religious education, the relation between freedom of speech and freedom of religion, abortion, and freedom of conscience.
Featuring top scholars from around the world, The Future of Religious Freedom offers some of the best forward-thinking and empirical research on global religious liberty, constitutionalism, and thriving societies. Profound and practical, it will help leaders and citizens alike navigate the crucible of resurgent religion in a shrinking world.