Freedom of Religion and the Secular State (eBook)

Russell Blackford (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2011
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
9781118153291 (ISBN)

Infos

Exploring the relationship between religion and the state Focusing on the intersection of religion, law, and politics in contemporary liberal democracies, Blackford considers the concept of the secular state, revising and updating enlightenment views for the present day. Freedom of Religion and the Secular State offers a comprehensive analysis, with a global focus, of the subject of religious freedom from a legal as well as historical and philosophical viewpoint. It makes an original contribution to current debates about freedom of religion, and addresses a whole range of hot-button issues that involve the relationship between religion and the state, including the teaching of evolution in schools, what to do about the burqa, and so on.

Autor

Russell Blackford is an Australian philosopher and literary critic, based at the University of Newcastle, NSW. He is editor-in-chief of The Journal of Evolution and Technology, and co-editor, with Udo Schüklenk, of 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists. His areas of expertise include legal and political philosophy, philosophical bioethics, metaethics, and philosophy of religion. He has published essays, stories, and reviews in a wide range of magazines, anthologies, and academic journals.

Inhalt

1 Motivation and Overview 1

2 A Short History of Religious Intolerance 20

3 Hobbes, Locke, and their Legacy: Models of the Modern State
34

4 Religious Impositions and Endorsements 56

5 Religion-Based Morality and the Secular State 67

6 Persecution, Accommodation, and Conscientious Objection 94

7 Private Power, Religious Communities, and the State 118

8 Religious Freedom and the Interests of Children 141

9 Religious Freedom and Freedom of Speech 169

10 Back to Locke: Concluding Remarks 198

Index 202

Rezensionen

"Rare are the books that effectively discuss and
connect philosophical background and practical foreground. Russell
Blackford's Freedom of Religion and the Secular State is
one. Blackford's always and admirably accessible
overview covers not only a wide range of prominent controversies,
but a number of equally crucial yet commonly overlooked issues such
as religious proselytizing and the legitimacy of official church
establishments." (The

Review of Politics, 1 November 2013)

"Freedom of Religion & the Secular State could not be
more timely. If it becomes a standard text in colleges and
universities, and, more generally, became a handy reference to
those intimately concerned with questions regarding the separation
of religion and state, then possibly, despite continuing heat over
the subject, a little cool reflection could mediate the
divide." (Atheists United, 2012)

"I found the book to be concise and deceptively simply written,
but with great depth of analysis. Of course, as a non-religious
person, perhaps it is hardly surprising that I enjoyed Blackford's
analysis so much: in a sense, he is already "preaching to the
converted" for a reader like myself. However, I think it would
probably provide much food for thought for the reasonable religious
person too." (Skepticlawyer, 9 February 2012)

"But anyway, even with this, this book is a must-have. It needs
to be kept to hand in any discussion of Western secularism."
(Steve's Posterous, 28 January 2012)

"This worthy contribution to the debate on religious freedom
analyses the history and thinking that has underpinned western
society today ... Whilst written by an academic, the style and
language open up a complex and important debate to a mass audience
and clearly underline the principles at stake for both state and
church." (Life & Work, 1 February 2012)

"Freedom of Religion and the Secular State offers a
comprehensive analysis, with a global focus, of the subject of
religious freedom from a legal as well as historical and
philosophical viewpoint." (The Richard Dawkins Foundation, 16
December 2011)

This is a must-read: Blackford has given us a forceful and
persuasive book that will have a big impact on the debate it
addresses.



AC Grayling, Professor of Philosophy and Master of the New
College of the Humanities, London

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 22.11.2011
• Reihe/Serie: Blackwell Public Philosophy Series
• Reihe/Serie: Blackwell Public Philosophy Series
• Reihe/Serie: Blackwell Public Philosophy Series
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung ► Politische Theorie
• Schlagworte: intolerance, Hobbes, Locke, morality, persecution, conscientious objection, sharia • Political Philosophy & Theory • Political Science • Politikwissenschaft • Politische Philosophie u. Politiktheorie • Religionsfreiheit
• ISBN-13: 9781118153291 / 9781118153291