The possibility of religious freedom: Natural law in ancient Greek, medieval Muslim, and early Christian sources
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This dissertation examines whether and how theories of unwritten and natural law can provide a better basis for religious freedom than prevailing concepts.I argue first that the fundamental problem of religious freedom is the perennial conflict of human and divine law.I then present theories of unwritten and natural law, including those present in Sophocles' Antigone, Ibn Rushd's Middle Commentary on Aristotle's Rhetoric, and Tertullian's various writings, arguing that expanding our notion of law to incorporate such theories can mediate the human and divine law and provide a rich foundation for religious liberty, even in modernity's pluralism.ACKNOLWEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to the research and writing of this manuscript, directly or indirectly.Professor Timothy Shah of Georgetown provided unwavering support and encouragement at every step of the way.His friendship, moral support and confidence propelled me through the more difficult stages of the journey.Professor Joshua Mitchell of Georgetown University, whose mentorship extended from the day I arrived on campus and opened Plato's Republic to struggling with the same text alongside his class in Doha five years later, has challenged and inspired my intellectual development throughout my training.It has been a privilege to study under him and I am indebted to him for my academic formation.I was also inexpressibly
Author: Karen Taliaferro
Language: English
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: George Mason University
OpenAlex ID: W2248356048