Sir George Turner Public Lecture: Do Bills of Rights Protect or Endanger Religious Freedom: The American Consitiutional Experience

Thursday, 14 July, 2011 - 18:30 to 19:30
Victoria

Speaker: Professor John Witte Jr, Emory University

In the recent national debate over Bills of Rights many religious groups argued that religious freedom would be threatened by formal rights protection. In this public lecture, Professor John Witte will argue that the American experiences demonstrates that constitutional protection of religious freedom can be a benefit to religion. Professor Witte is director of the Centre for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University and one of the world's foremost scholars of religious freedom.

John Witte Jr. is Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law, Alonzo L McDonald Distinguished Service Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion Center at Emory University.  A specialist in legal history, marriage law and religious liberty, he has published 180 articles, 11 journal symposia and 23 books. Professor Witte's writings have appeared in 10 languages, and he has lectured and convened conferences through North America, Europe, Japan, Israel and South Africa.  With major funding from the Pew, Ford, Lilly, Luce and McDonald foundations, he has directed 12 major international projects on democracy, human rights and religious liberty, and on marriage, family and children.  These projects have collectively yielded more than 160 new volumes and 250 public forums around the world.  He has been selected 10 times by the Emory Law students as the Most Outstanding Professor and has won numerous other awards and prizes for his teaching and research.

Venue: Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street Carlton VIC

More details and online registration here