ABSTRACT

Much has been written on specific religious legal systems, yet substantial comparative studies that strive to compare systems, identifying their analogies and differences, have been relatively few. This absence undermines the capacity to understand religions and becomes particularly serious when the faithful of these religions live together in the same geographical space, as happens today with increasing frequency. Both interreligious dialogue and dialogue between States and religions presuppose a set of data and information that only comparative research can provide.

This book seeks to address this gap in the literature by presenting a comparative analysis of Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Hindu laws and traditions. Divided into five parts, the first part of the book offers the historical background for the legal analysis that is developed in the subsequent parts. Part II deals with the sources of law in the four religions under discussion. Part III addresses the dynamics of belonging and status, and Part IV looks at issues relating to the conclusion of marriage and its dissolution. The fifth and final part discusses how each religion views the legal other. Each part concludes with exploring what we can learn from a comparative examination of the topic that is dealt with in that part.

Written by leading experts in the field, this book presents a clear and comprehensive picture of key religious legal systems along with a substantial bibliography. It provides a state of the art overview of scholarship in this area accompanied by a critical evaluation. As such, it will be an invaluable resource for all those concerned with religious legal systems, multiculturalism and comparative law.

chapter |18 pages

Introduction

Religious laws and their comparison Theoretical and methodological issues
ByRossella Bottoni, Silvio Ferrari, Russell Sandberg

part I|74 pages

History

chapter 1|14 pages

The Jewish tradition

A history
ByJoseph E. David

chapter 2|17 pages

The Christian tradition

A history
ByKenneth Pennington

chapter 3|16 pages

The Islamic tradition

A history
ByKnut S. Vikør

chapter 4|15 pages

The Hindu tradition

A history
ByDomenico Francavilla

chapter 5|9 pages

Comparative remarks

A history of religious laws
ByJohn Tolan

part II|62 pages

Sources of law

chapter 6|13 pages

Jewish law

The sources
ByJoseph E. David

chapter 7|14 pages

Christian law

The sources
ByBurkhard J. Berkmann

chapter 8|12 pages

Islamic law

The sources
ByKnut S. Vikør

chapter 9|12 pages

Hindu law

The sources
ByDomenico Francavilla

chapter 10|9 pages

Comparative remarks

The sources of religious laws
ByGary F. Bell

part III|64 pages

Dynamics of belonging and status

chapter 11|11 pages

Jewish law

Dynamics of belonging and status
BySuzanne Last Stone

chapter 12|16 pages

Christian law

Dynamics of belonging and status
ByNorman Doe

chapter 13|11 pages

Islamic law

Dynamics of belonging and status
ByAnver M. Emon

chapter 14|13 pages

Hindu law

Dynamics of belonging and status
ByWerner Menski, Kalindi Kokal

chapter 15|11 pages

Comparative remarks

Religious laws and dynamics of belonging and status
ByFrancis Messner

part IV|70 pages

Marriage

chapter 16|18 pages

Jewish law

Marriage
ByElimelech Westreich, Avishalom Westreich

chapter 17|11 pages

Christian law

Marriage
ByAgustín Motilla

chapter 18|13 pages

Islamic law

Marriage
ByRoberta Aluffi

chapter 19|16 pages

Hindu law

Marriage
ByWerner Menski, Gopika Solanki

chapter 20|10 pages

Comparative remarks

Religious laws and marriage
ByYüksel Sezgin

part V|71 pages

The legal other

chapter 21|10 pages

Jewish law perspectives

The legal other
BySuzanne Last Stone

chapter 22|18 pages

Christian law perspectives

The legal other
ByNorman Doe

chapter 23|16 pages

Islamic law perspectives

The legal other
ByAnver M. Emon

chapter 24|16 pages

Hindu law perspectives

The legal other
ByWerner Menski, Zoe Headley

chapter 25|9 pages

Comparative remarks

Religious laws and the legal other
ByAdam B. Seligman