Abstract

Free to Believe is a thoughtful and provocative exploration of religion and Canadian law. Waldron’s goal is to “rethink” how court rulings and popular opinion address belief. She does so through a thorough analysis of court rulings pertaining to religion, religious freedom, religious expression, belief, and accommodation in order to expose certain inconsistencies pertaining to how we frame and apply Charter sections on freedom of conscience and religion. Waldron mixes detailed research with broader questions and argument. Her research is rigorous yet approachable, suitable for scholars from various fields. Her central thesis is that the freedom of conscience and religion is too often restricted unnecessarily, and that doing so is detrimental to the tenets of democracy (9, 24). She presents her case through three main critiques of the courts and their rulings on religion. First, courts are too quick to deem religious practice or expression offensive or coercive, and prohibit it on such bases. Secondly, we all too often misrepresent religious freedom when we unilaterally equate it to other equality rights. Instead, religious freedom should be understood …

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.