Holy Writ

Interpretation in Law and Religion

By Arie-Jan Kwak | Publisher: Taylor and Francis

About the book

It has often been remarked that law and religion have much in common. One of the most conspicuous elements is that both law and religion frequently refer to a text that has authority over the members of a community. In the case of religion this text is deemed to be 'holy', in the case of law, some, such as the American constitution, are widely held as 'sacred'. In both examples, priests and judges exert a duty to tell the community what the founding document has to say about contemporary problems. This therefore involves an element of interpretation of the relevant authoritative texts and this book focuses on such methods of interpretation in the fields of law and religion. As its starting point, scholars from different disciplines discuss the textualist approach presented here by American Supreme Court Judge and academic scholar, Justice Antonin Scalia, not only from the perspective of law but also from that of theology. The result is a lively discussion which presents a range of diverse perspectives and arguments with regard to interpretation in law and religion.

Editions of Holy Writ

EBook
ISBN 9781317121381
PDF
ISBN 9781317121398

Read an Excerpt

It has often been remarked that law and religion have much in common. One of the most conspicuous elements is that both law and religion frequently refer to a text that has authority over the members of a community. In the case of religion this text is deemed to be 'holy', in the case of law, some, such as the American constitution, are widely held as 'sacred'. In both examples, priests and judges exert a duty to tell the community what the founding document has to say about contemporary problems. This therefore involves an element of interpretation of the relevant authoritative texts and this book focuses on such methods of interpretation in the fields of law and religion. As its starting point, scholars from different disciplines discuss the textualist approach presented here by American Supreme Court Judge and academic scholar, Justice Antonin Scalia, not only from the perspective of law but also from that of theology. The result is a lively discussion which presents a range of diverse perspectives and arguments with regard to interpretation in law and religion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Holy Writ about?

It has often been remarked that law and religion have much in common. One of the most conspicuous elements is that both law and religion frequently refer to a text that has authority over the members of a community. In the case of religion this text is deemed to be 'holy', in the case of law, some, such as the American constitution, are widely held as 'sacred'. In both examples, priests and judges exert a duty to tell the community what the founding document has to say about contemporary problems. This therefore involves an element of interpretation of the relevant authoritative texts and this book focuses on such methods of interpretation in the fields of law and religion. As its starting point, scholars from different disciplines discuss the textualist approach presented here by American Supreme Court Judge and academic scholar, Justice Antonin Scalia, not only from the perspective of law but also from that of theology. The result is a lively discussion which presents a range of diverse perspectives and arguments with regard to interpretation in law and religion.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Holy Writ?

Law > Jurisprudence and general issues > Methods, theory and philosophy of law

Where can I read a sample of Holy Writ?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781317121381

Is Holy Writ part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Applied Legal Philosophy

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Holy Writ?

Arie-Jan Kwak

Who is the Publisher of the book Holy Writ?

Taylor and Francis

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Holy Writ is available as ebook(ISBN 9781317121381) and pdf(ISBN 9781317121398)