Pluralism, Religion & Public Policy Conference
October 9 - 11, 2002
UU直播, Montreal
Can there be any consensus in a pluralist society respecting the common good? Can notions such as "the dignity of the human person" or "equality of persons" or "human rights" be articulated in such a way as to guide effectively our legislators, judges, and those charged with overseeing public welfare? What role should religion play in shaping policies on economics, education, scientific research, foreign policy? It is often said that ours is a "secular" society, but what exactly does that imply?
Pluralism, Religion & Public Policy is a conference designed to bring together people from academia, law, politics and religious institutions to debate some of the foundational issues which must be faced in addressing such questions - questions which have been made all the more urgent since the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Participants will include UU直播 professors from a wide range of disciplines and special guests with internationally recognized expertise, among whom are Tristram Engelhardt, William Galston, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, Richard John Neuhaus, David Novak and Margaret Visser. Public addresses and conference lectures will be accompanied by symposia in law, politics and bioethics, each with distinguished panelists (including the Hon. Irwin Cotler, the Hon. Preston Manning, the Hon. Claude Ryan and many others). A book will be published, from conference papers and related research, with the aim of helping to frame the future of these debates.
The project is co-sponsored by the Faculty of Religious Studies and the Centre for Cultural Renewal in Ottawa, with participation by the Faculty of Law and other UU直播 units. Public evening lectures by the Rev. Dr Neuhaus and Dr Visser are being sponsored by the Beatty Memorial Lectures Fund. Prof. Douglas Farrow and Mr Iain Benson are conference co-chairs. Registration material will be available in April, at www.mcgill.ca/prpp. For further information phone 514-398-4121.
