Religious freedom and gay rights : emerging conflicts in the United States and Europe

In the United States and Europe, an increasing emphasis on equality has pitted rights claims against each other, raising profound philosophical, moral, legal, and political questions about the meaning and reach of religious liberty. Nowhere has this conflict been more salient than in the debate between claims of religious freedom, on one hand, and equal rights claims made on the behalf of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, on the other. As new rights for LGBT individuals have expanded in liberal democracies across the West, longstanding rights of religious freedom -- such as the rights of religious communities to adhere to their fundamental teachings, including protecting the rights of conscience; the rights of parents to impart their religious beliefs to their children; and the liberty to advance religiously-based moral arguments as a rationale for laws -- have suffered a corresponding decline. Timothy Samuel Shah, Thomas F. Farr, and Jack Friedman's volume, __Religious Freedom and Gay Rights__ brings together some of the world's leading thinkers on religion, morality, politics, and law to analyze the emerging tensions between religious freedom and gay rights in three key geographic regions: the United States, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. What implications will expanding regimes of equality rights for LGBT individuals have on religious freedom in these regions? What are the legal and moral frameworks that govern tensions between gay rights and religious freedom? How are these tensions illustrated in particular legal, political, and policy controversies? And what is the proper way to balance new claims of equality against existing claims for freedom of religious groups and individuals? __Religious____Freedom and Gay Rights__ offers several explorations of these questions. In The United States And Europe, An Increasing Emphasis On Equality Has Pitted Rights Claims Against Each Other, Raising Profound Philosophical, Moral, Legal, And Political Questions About The Meaning And Reach Of Religious Liberty. The Eye Of This Conflict Is The Debate Over Claims Of Religious Freedom, On One Hand, And Claims Of Equal Rights For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender (lgbt) People, On The Other. As New Rights For Lgbt People Have Expanded In Liberal Democracies Across The West, Many Advocates Of Religious Freedom Claim That Their Rights - Such As The Rights Of Conscience; The Rights Of Parents To Impart Their Religious Beliefs To Their Children; And The Liberty To Advance Religiously-based Moral Arguments As A Rationale For Laws - Have Experienced A Corresponding Decline. In Religious Freedom And Gay Rights, Editors Timothy Samuel Shah, Thomas F. Farr, And Jack Friedman Bring Together Some Of The World's Leading Thinkers On Religion, Morality, Politics, And Law To Analyze The Emerging Tensions Between Religious Freedom And Gay Rights In Three Geographic Regions: The United States, The United Kingdom, And Continental Europe. The Result Is A Thoughtful Inquiry Into The Legal And Moral Frameworks That Govern Tensions Between Gay Rights And Religious Freedom And The Political Controversies That These Tensions Have Produced. -- From Back Cover. Part I. Equality And Religious Liberty : Oppressing Conscientious Diversity In England -- Gay Rights Versus Religious Rights -- At The Door Of The Temple : Religious Freedom And New Orthodoxy -- Part Ii. The United States -- Wrongful Discrimination? Religious Freedom, Pluralism, And Equality -- Civil Marriage For Same-sex Couples, Moral Disapproval,” And Tensions Between Religious Liberty And Equality -- The Politics Of Accommodation : The American Experience With Same-sex Marriage And Religious Freedom -- Die And Let Live? The Asymmetry Of Accommodation -- Part Iii Continental Europe -- Claims For Homosexual Equality And Religious Freedom In Tension : Moral And Conceptual Frameworks -- Same-sex Partnership And Religious Exemptions In Italy : Constitutional Textualism Versus European Consensus -- A Scandinavian Perspective On Homosexuality, Equal Rights, And Freedom Of Religion. Edited By Timothy Samuel Shah, Thomas F. Farr, And Jack Friedman ; With An Introduction By Matthew J. Franck And An Afterword By Roger Trigg. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In the United States and Europe, an increasing emphasis on equality has pitted rights claims against each other, raising profound philosophical, moral, legal, and political questions about the meaning and reach of religious liberty. Nowhere has this conflict been more salient than in the debate between claims of religious freedom, on one hand, and equal rights claims made on the behalf of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, on the other. As new rights for LGBT individuals have expanded in liberal democracies across the West, longstanding rights of religious freedom -- such as the rights of religious communities to adhere to their fundamental teachings, including protecting the rights of conscience; the rights of parents to impart their religious beliefs to their children; and the liberty to advance religiously-based moral arguments as a rationale for laws -- have suffered a corresponding decline. Timothy Samuel Shah, Thomas F. Farr, and Jack Friedman's volume, Religious Freedom and Gay Rights brings together some of the world's leading thinkers on religion, morality, politics, and law to analyze the emerging tensions between religious freedom and gay rights in three key geographic regions: the United States, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. What implications will expanding regimes of equality rights for LGBT individuals have on religious freedom in these regions? What are the legal and moral frameworks that govern tensions between gay rights and religious freedom? How are these tensions illustrated in particular legal, political, and policy controversies? And what is the proper way to balance new claims of equality against existing claims for freedom of religious groups and individuals? Religious Freedom and Gay Rights offers several explorations of these questions. Introduction: Religious freedom, same-sex marriage, and the dignity of the human person -- Matthew J. Franck -- Part I. The United Kingdom. Equality and religious liberty : oppressing conscientious diversity in England -- John Finnis Gay rights versus religious rights -- Stephen Law At the door of the temple : religious freedom and new orthodoxy -- Archbishop Philip Tartaglia -- Part II. The United States. Wrongful discrimination? : religious freedom, pluralism, and equality -- Richard W. Garnett Civil marriage for same-sex couples, "moral disapproval, -- Linda C. McClain The politics of accommodation : the American experience with same-sex marriage and religious freedom -- Robin Fretwell Wilson Die and let live? : the asymmetry of accommodation -- Steven D. Smith -- Part III. Continental Europe. Claims for homosexual equality and religious freedom in tension : moral and conceptual frameworks -- Rocco Buttiglione Same-sex partnership and religious exemptions in Italy : constitutional textualism versus European consensus -- Andrea Pin A Scandinavian perspective on homosexuality, equal rights, and freedom of religion -- Maarit Jänterä-Jareborg-- Afterword /-- Roger Trigg.