Religious Liberty as a Democratic Institution

Authors

Ted G. Jelen, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Editors

Derek H. Davis

Document Type

Chapter

Publication Date

1-2011

Publication Title

The Oxford Handbook of Church and State in the United States

Publisher

Oxford University Press

First page number:

311

Last page number:

329

Abstract

In the early twenty-first century, the political role of religion is central in the United States and the world. This rise in the political role of religion is seen in the politically assertive Islam, the emergence of permissible limitations on religious liberty, and the significance of religion in political discourses such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and other issues. This article discusses the contributions of religious liberty to democracy. It discusses the role of religious liberty in facilitating the self-governance of citizens living in democratic systems, with particular emphasis on democracy as self-governance. The article does not intend to discuss theological claims; rather, it provides a direct discussion of constitutional interpretation. The intention is not to discuss constitutional or human rights in relation to the role of religious liberty in democracy, but to assess the consequences of religious liberty for the practice of democratic governance.

Keywords

Abortion; Abortion--Religious aspects; Democracy; Governance; Liberty; Political role; Religion; Religion and politics; Religious liberty; Role of religion; Same-sex marriage; Same-sex marriage--Religious aspects; Self-governance

Disciplines

American Politics | Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Political Science | Religion | Women's Studies

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.

Repository Citation

Jelen, T. G. (2011). Religious Liberty as a Democratic Institution. In Derek H. Davis, The Oxford Handbook of Church and State in the United States 311-329. Oxford University Press.