In his new book, "Freedom of Religion and the Secular State", Russell Blackford argues that religious freedom is more than a crude quid pro quo arrangement - "We won't persecute you if you don't persecute us." Instead, it goes to the heart of what we think state power is really for. Do we think it's to give citizens spiritual guidance, or is the state an essentially secular institution? That question lies at the heart of many intransigent
hot-button issues that cause so much angst in current societies. What, if anything, should we do about the burqa? Should anti-religious satire be allowed? Should our laws enforce religious notions of morality - as with abortion restrictions, attacks on gay rights, and opposition to stem-cell research? Dr. Blackford proposes a way ahead that should be acceptable to most religious people, as well as to non-believers.




In his new book, "Freedom of Religion and the Secular State", Russell Blackford argues that religious freedom is more than a crude quid pro quo arrangement - "We won't persecute you if you don't persecute us." Instead, it goes to the heart of what we think state power is really for. Do we think it's to give citizens spiritual guidance, or is the state an essentially secular institution? That question lies at the heart of many intransigent
hot-button issues that cause so much angst in current societies. What, if anything, should we do about the burqa? Should anti-religious satire be allowed? Should our laws enforce religious notions of morality - as with abortion restrictions, attacks on gay rights, and opposition to stem-cell research? Dr. Blackford proposes a way ahead that should be acceptable to most religious people, as well as to non-believers.




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