UK Scholar Deplores Mounting Religious Restrictions in Europe
In a contribution to the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, Roger Trigg writes: "Certainly, as is recognised in the case of conscientious objection in a time of war, it is the mark of civilised society to respect a conscientious stand, even if it is thought misguided. Whether freedom of religion can be simply replaced by an appeal to individual conscience is much more doubtful. Religion seems to be itself of deep importance in human life, and should be cherished. It has a social dimension, with institutional, as well as individual, aspects. What is quite clear is that once freedom of religion is not thought to be of absolutely fundamental importance in a society, but can give way to current social priorities, freedom of conscience also is challenged. Religious freedom, itself, is very hard to prise apart from the most basic freedoms that make any life worth living. It is regrettable that current European jurisprudence does not appear to take this point seriously."
Read the entire article...Roger Trigg is an associate scholar with the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. His most recent book is Equality, Freedom, & Religion, Oxford University Press.