Blessings of Liberty: Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the Western Legal Tradition

John Witte, Jr. explores the role of religion in the development of rights in the Western legal tradition, tracing the complex interplay between human rights and religious freedom norms in modern domestic and international law. He argues that the robust promotion and protection of religious freedom is the best way to protect many other fundamental rights, even though they sometimes clash.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Leading legal scholar John Witte, Jr. delves into the profound influence of religion on the evolution of rights within the Western legal tradition, tracing the intricate interplay between human rights and religious freedom norms in modern domestic and international law. In his comprehensive examination, Witte explores how US courts are gradually advancing religious freedom, while recent decisions of the pan-European courts in Strasbourg and Luxembourg have posed significant challenges to new religious minorities and endangered established religious traditions across Europe. Witte firmly advocates for the robust promotion and protection of religious freedom as the primary means to safeguard numerous other fundamental rights in today's world, acknowledging that while religious freedom and other fundamental rights may occasionally clash, careful balancing is necessary to ensure their harmonious coexistence. Furthermore, he addresses the concerns of modern critics who perceive human rights as a betrayal of Christianity and religious freedom as a betrayal of human rights, presenting compelling arguments to refute these allegations.

Leading legal scholar John Witte, Jr. delves into the profound influence of religion on the evolution of rights within the Western legal tradition, tracing the intricate interplay between human rights and religious freedom norms in modern domestic and international law. In his comprehensive examination, Witte explores how US courts are gradually advancing religious freedom, while recent decisions of the pan-European courts in Strasbourg and Luxembourg have posed significant challenges to new religious minorities and endangered established religious traditions across Europe. Witte firmly advocates for the robust promotion and protection of religious freedom as the primary means to safeguard numerous other fundamental rights in today's world, acknowledging that while religious freedom and other fundamental rights may occasionally clash, careful balancing is necessary to ensure their harmonious coexistence. Furthermore, he addresses the concerns of modern critics who perceive human rights as a betrayal of Christianity and religious freedom as a betrayal of human rights, presenting compelling arguments to refute these allegations.

Weight: 484g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108453264