عنوان

The Rule of Law, Religious Authority, and Oaths of Office

Number

LA116128

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

The Rule of Law, Religious Authority, and Oaths of Office

General Material Designation

[Article]

First Statement of Responsibility

Nicholas Aroney

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill | Nijhoff

Text of Note

The rule of law requires political office holders to exercise their powers in accordance with the law. Most societies, however, rely not only on the moral obligation to obey the law but also require office holders to take a religious oath or solemn affirmation. The divine witness to the oath of office stands in as a guarantor of the political order but also looms above it. As such, the oath represents a paradox. It guarantees the performance of official duties while also subjecting them to external judgement. The oath thus encompasses the large question of the relationship between religious conviction, personal fidelity, moral principle, and political power. It suggests that law and religion are as much intertwined as separated in today's politics. By tracing the oath of office as a sacrament of power, much light can be shed on the relationship between law and religion in today's liberal-democratic politics. The rule of law requires political office holders to exercise their powers in accordance with the law. Most societies, however, rely not only on the moral obligation to obey the law but also require office holders to take a religious oath or solemn affirmation. The divine witness to the oath of office stands in as a guarantor of the political order but also looms above it. As such, the oath represents a paradox. It guarantees the performance of official duties while also subjecting them to external judgement. The oath thus encompasses the large question of the relationship between religious conviction, personal fidelity, moral principle, and political power. It suggests that law and religion are as much intertwined as separated in today's politics. By tracing the oath of office as a sacrament of power, much light can be shed on the relationship between law and religion in today's liberal-democratic politics.

Date of Publication

2018

Physical description

195-212

Title

Journal of Law, Religion and State

Volume Number

6/2-3

International Standard Serial Number

2212-4810

Subject Term

faith

Subject Term

History of Religion

Subject Term

Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Subject Term

law

Subject Term

oath

Subject Term

office

Subject Term

power

Subject Term

religion

Subject Term

Religious Studies

Subject Term

secular

Nicholas Aroney

Call Number

10.1163/22124810-00602003

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y