by Following up on Rick’s post, if you’re in New York next week, the Center for Law and Religion at St. John’s University will host a panel discussion on October 21, “Christians in the Middle East – Contemporary Human Rights Concerns.” Panelists will discuss problems Middle Eastern Christians face and the potential for addressing them through [...]
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Much is being made over the latest survey to demonstrate that Americans know less than we think we do. This time, the subject is religion. The Pew Forum this week released the results of its U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey, designed to test Americans’ knowledge of major faith traditions and the role of religion in public [...]
Read the full postAn FYI for our readers: The Center for Law and Religion at St. John’s University School of Law will present the second annual Religious Legal Theory Conference at its Queens, New York campus on November 5. This year’s theme, “Religion in Law, Law in Religion,” covers traditional religion/state questions as well as emerging issues in [...]
Read the full postBurning Qur’ans, as Terry Jones threatened to do last week, is wrong. It is disrespectful and needlessly provocative, an act that threatens the fabric of a pluralistic society. I take this to be axiomatic, as do most Americans. And yet, had Jones carried out his plan, his actions would have been protected by the First [...]
Read the full postAs we await the Court’s decision in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, I’d like to reflect on an aspect of last month’s oral argument and what it may suggest about our culture’s view of sexuality.
Repeatedly, the justices turned to whether CLS was discriminating on the basis of status or belief. Did CLS exclude people because of their sexual orientation – their status –or because of their convictions about homosexual conduct – their beliefs? CLS maintained it was the latter, but at least some justices were skeptical. Here, for example, is an exchange between Justice Sotomayor and CLS’ attorney, Michael McConnell:
Read the full postJohn’s post about visiting the William Howard Taft National Historic Site got me thinking about our 27th President. Taft was a political conservative but theological liberal, a Unitarian who denied the divinity of Christ. (As far as I know, he was the last President to do so publicly). Although it’s not widely remembered today, Taft’s Unitarianism was an issue in the 1908 campaign. That episode reveals the complicated relationship between religion and Presidential politics.
Read the full postHere’s an interesting letter that appeared in the Telegraph (London) last week, signed by six prominent Anglican bishops, including the former Archbishop of Canterbury. The British National Health Service has decided that a nurse, Ms. Shirley Chaplin, may no longer see patients. Why? Ms. Chaplin refuses to remove a cross that she wears around her neck. The letter points out that the NHS allows adherents of other religions to wear religious insignia while tending patients and argues that the NHS’ decision is an example of a pattern of discrimination against the “Christian community” in British society (see, for example, a similar controversy at British Airways). The bishops want to make this alleged discrimination an issue in the upcoming general election.
Read the full postThe Center for Law, Religion, and the Global Community at St. John’s University School of Law will host this year’s Religious Legal Theory Conference in November. Like last year’s inaugural conference at Seton Hall, this year’s symposium will draw insights from a variety of perspectives. The theme is “Religion in Law and Law in Religion.” The formal call for papers is below. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!
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