New book on Religion and Constitution
In celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Danish Constitution, researchers and students are publishing a new book on Religion and Constitution – Religion og grundlov in Danish.
The book examines the historical and constitutional frameworks for religion, which are still very relevant in politics and the media, in the Church of Denmark and for the religious communities, as well as in legislation and the courts. The book is edited by Niels Valdemar Vinding from TEO, Brian Arly Jacobsen from HUM, and Mikele Schultz-Knudsen from JUR.
Interdisciplinary research on religion and law
"Religion and Constitution" is the result of interdisciplinary scientific work, exploring the relationship between religion and the constitution in their legal, historical, religious, and theological contexts. It presents, comments on, and discusses key concepts, considerations, and challenges regarding religion as expressed in significant constitutional sources. The book offers a thorough scholarly discussion of how law and religion in Denmark have shaped each other, combining historical insights with current legal and religious perspectives. The goal is to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between religion, law, and society.
Research integration and student participation
The book was developed in collaboration with students from the University of Copenhagen, who actively participated as co-researchers in selecting sources and thoroughly discussing the challenges, resulting in their independent introductory chapter. In this way, the book is also a product of teaching-based research, aligning with pro-Rector's initiative to better integrate research into education.
New research and newly available sources
The book first provides a comprehensive introduction to discussions on religion at the Danish Constitutional Assembly 1848-1849, followed by 12 independent chapters that examine the historical sources, their significance, and their interpretation in light of contemporary challenges, especially the sources' influence on current legislation and judicial practices. These chapters are written by historians, sociologists of religion, theologians, and lawyers.
Additionally, the book includes reprints of historical legal sources that have significantly impacted Danish religious law. These sources include key debates on religion at the Danish Constitutional Assembly 1848-1849, excerpts from the Peace of Westphalia from 1648, the 1814 Regulation for Jews, and later debates on religion in the Parliamentary Records from the 1860s. Most of these sources were originally printed in Danish with Gothic script, which can be a barrier for many, including students and the general public. Therefore, we have linguistically adapted these sources to make them accessible to everyone. We hope this will be useful for teaching, debate, and public enlightenment.
The book is in Danish, will be published by DJØF Publishers on June 5, 2024, but it can already be pre-ordered.