Religious Freedom: Toward a Pluralist Understanding

Jaclyn Neo is an associate professor and the director of the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at University at the National University of Singapore. The following post is based on her remarks during the panel “Understanding Religious Freedom: Why Does It Matter?” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024.

Despite the long-established provenance and reach of religious freedom discourse, religious freedom remains an under-fulfilled promise in many contexts and has been under siege in others. Reports by international organizations, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations point to continuing violations of religious freedom worldwide. As a result, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Heiner Bielefeldt has called religious freedom a “human right under pressure.”[1]

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Head, Heart, and Hands: Religion as an Instrument for Peace

Bishop Victor Brown is senior pastor of Mt. Sinai United Christian Church and a suffragan bishop and founding board member of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches. The following post is based on his remarks during the panel “Religion: A Catalyst for Peace?” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024.

We gather at this Symposium under a heavy cloud of national and international unrest and warfare. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the attack on Israel by Hamas, which resulted in the highest number of Israeli lives lost since the Holocaust. In addition to conflicts in Haiti and Sudan—and the ongoing wars in Syria, Myanmar, Somalia, Yemen, Russia, and Ukraine—on the American national front, the United States presently stands as a nation divided.

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Efforts to Promote Religious Freedom and Peaceful Coexistence in Bahrain

Alsadig Khalafalla is a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence and currently serves as an advisor for strategic affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The following post is based on his remarks during the panel “Religious Perspectives on Religious Freedom and Peace” at the ICLRS 31st Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 7 October 2024.

Bahrain, a small island nation in the Arabian Gulf, has been a focal point for discussions surrounding religious freedom and peace, stemming from its diverse religious landscape. Bahrain is a Sunni Muslim country with a significant Shia population, but it is also home to various religious minorities, including Christians, Jews, Hindus, and members of other faiths. This diversity in Bahrain has shaped the discourse on religious freedom, often reflecting the broader political and social dynamics at play in the region. Historically, Bahrain has been characterized by its tolerance toward different religions. The Bahraini Constitution guarantees freedom of worship, allowing various religious communities to practice their faith openly. Houses of worship belonging to numerous faiths can be found across the country, symbolizing the degree of open society.

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