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J Med Ethics 2002;28:221-222 doi:10.1136/jme.28.4.221
  • Special symposium: religion, the law, and medical ethics

Religious meddling: a comment on Skene and Parker

  1. C A J Coady
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor C A J Coady, Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010;
 t.coady{at}unimelb.edu.au
  • Accepted 16 January 2002
  • Revised 15 January 2002

Abstract

The question of churches resorting to the courts to influence public policy is one that concerns the appropriate role of the courts and the appropriate conduct of religious authorities. I agree with Skene and Parker that there is no principled legal reason to exclude such interventions out of hand; but my comments are principally addressed to the political and religious reasons for being rightly concerned about such activity. These advert both to the nature of the liberal democratic compromise and to the nature and scope of religious authority (at least within Christianity).

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