Law and Religion in the 21st Century: Relations between States and Religious Communities

Description

This book brings together leading international scholars of law and religion to provide an overview of current issues in State-religion relations. The first part of the collection offers a picture of recent developments in key countries and regions. The second part is focused on Europe and, in particular, on the Nordic States and the post-communist countries where State-religion systems have undergone most profound change. The third and final part is devoted to four issues that are currently debated all over the world: the relations between freedom of expression and freedom of religion; proselytism and the right to change religion; the religious symbols; and the legal status of Islam in Europe and Canada. The work will be a valuable resource for academics, students and policy-makers with an interest in the interaction between law and religion. Cover Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Preface List of Abbreviations 1 A Perspective from the Sociology of Religion Part I Patterns of Law and Religion 2 State and Religion in South Africa 3 States and Religions in West Africa 4 Religious Communities and the State in Modern India 5 State and Religion in Japan 6 Religion and the State in the United States at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century 7 Religions and Law Part II Law and Religion in Europe: Introduction and Case Studies 8 State and Religion in Europe Section I Central and Eastern Europe 9 States and Religions in Post-Communist Europe 10 The Recent Developments of Church–State Relations in Central Europe 11 Church and State Relations in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia Section II Northern Europe 12 States and Churches in Northern Europe 13 Not Even Believing in Belonging 14 Church and State in the United Kingdom Part III Current Debates Section I Freedom of Expression/Freedom of Religion 15 Protection Against Religious Hatred 16 Religious Freedom and Freedom of Expression in France Section II Proselytism: Limits and Guarantees of a Debated Right 17 Proselytism and the Right to Change Religion 18 Proselytism and the Right to Change Religion in Islam 19 Proselytism and the Right to Change Religion in Israel 20 Proselytism and the Right to Change Religion: The Romanian Debate Section III Different Approaches to Religious Symbols in Public Spaces 21 Religious Symbols 22 Religious Symbols between Forum Internum and Forum Externum 23 A Brief Introduction to the Religious Symbols Debate in Italy and the United States 24 The European Court of Human Rights on Religious Symbols 25 Civil Religion and Religious Symbols in Public Institutions in Russia Section IV The Legal Status of Islam in Western States 26 The Current Debate on Islam 27 Canadian Muslim Women and Resolution of Family Conflicts 28 The Implementation of the 1992 Agreement in Spain 29 Islam at the Threshold 30 Conclusion Index