It is the Mission of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University to help secure the blessings of freedom of religion and belief for all people by
- expanding, deepening, and disseminating knowledge and expertise regarding the interrelationship of law and religion,
- facilitating the growth of networks of scholars, experts, and policy makers involved in the field of religion and law, and
- contributing to law reform processes and broader implementation of principles of religious freedom worldwide.
About the International Center for Law and Religion Studies
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies is a global academic leader in the field of international religious freedom. Founded in 2000, the Center is part of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, one of the largest private universities in the United States. The Center’s mission is to “help secure the blessings of religious liberty for all,” through scholarship, networking, educational activities, and law reform efforts.
Scholars at the Center specialize in comparative and international law concerning religion. The Center partners with leading academic, governmental, and non-governmental institutions around the world to organize conferences and workshops. The purpose of these conferences is to foster respectful understanding and improve expertise at the critical intersection where law and religion meet.
The Center has thus far helped organize more than 350 international events in more than 50 countries. Participants in these events include government leaders, community and religious leaders, judges, scholars, and other experts from a variety of disciplines. Participants learn from one another, discuss issues, and share their research and experience from their respective countries. Because of its global and interdisciplinary reach, the work of the Center is truly unique.
Among other activities, the Center:
- Organizes an annual International Law and Religion Symposium each year on the campus of Brigham Young University, bringing together more than 90 invited delegates from approximately 50 countries.
- Helps organize, in collaboration with top local institutions, several annual regional conferences in Africa, Latin America, the Islamic World, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, and the Pacific.
- Co-organizes an annual conference at Oxford University that draws together high-level participants from throughout the world.
- Frequently provides expert review of draft legislation and constitutional proposals at the invitation of government and civil society leaders—thus far in more than 50 countries.
- Produces a steady stream of scholarly articles and books about law and religion, often in collaboration with international experts.
- Maintains informative websites tracking religious freedom laws.
- Provides a free daily news service aggregating stories from around the world on religious freedom developments.
Welcome to the Website of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies
of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University
of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies was formally established on the 1st of January 2000, with the mission to help secure the blessings of freedom of religion, conscience, or belief for all people. To this end Center Personnel consult and publish widely on religious freedom issues, and the Center sponsors and participates in numerous Conferences worldwide, culminating in an Annual International Law and Religion Symposium at Brigham Young University each October.
As a public service, the Center maintains this website to share news of its activites as well as U.S. religious freedom news of general interest, with particular focus on relevant U.S. Court Cases…
A Welcome from the Founding Director
Welcome, Visitors, to the website of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University Law School. We hope you will enjoy learning more about our mission and the many people and endeavors involved in helping us accomplish it.
The Center was formally established and commenced operations as of January 1, 2000, to provide the institutional base for our long-term initiatives in the field of law and religion throughout the world. During the succeeding decade and a half, we have emerged as a recognized leader in the field of religious rights, both at the national…
A Message from the Founding Director
Welcome, Visitors!
We hope that by exploring our website you will enjoy learning more about our mission and the many people and endeavors involved in helping us accomplish it.
The Center was formally established and commenced operations as of January 1, 2000, to provide the institutional base for our long-term initiatives in the field of law and religion throughout the world. During the succeeding decade and a half, we have emerged as a recognized leader in the field of religious rights, both at the national level in the United States and internationally. Work in the United States has included Congressional testimony in support of draft legislation and participation in numerous conferences in the U.S. Internationally, ICLRS personnel are now instrumental…
A Message from the Director
Welcome, Visitors! [text revised April 23, 2016]
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies was formally established and commenced operations as of January 1, 2000, to provide the institutional base for our long-term initiatives in the field of law and religion throughout the world. During the succeeding decade, we have emerged as a recognized leader in the field of religious rights, both at the national level in the United States and internationally. Work in the United States has included Congressional testimony in support of draft legislation and participation in numerous conferences in the U.S. Internationally, ICLRS personnel are now instrumental in organizing and participating in 20-30 regional conferences and law reform consultations each year in countries around the world….