Magna Carta, Religion & the Rule of Law

An international conference to herald the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta in 2015 took place on Saturday at the Inner and Middle Temple.

Magna Carta, Religion & the Rule of Law featured speakers from The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, including Distinguished Visitor and Visiting Professor, The Rt Hon the Lord Judge, who delivered the keynote address, Professor Robert Blackburn, and Professor Maleiha Malik.

The focus of the conference was the importance of the Magna Carta for religious communities both historically and today. Conference-speakers from many traditions considered how the principles enunciated in Magna Carta have influenced the State’s approach to religion, and how religions can and should be participants in civil society.

The one-day conference was comprised of four panels and question and answer sessions. Professor Malik spoke on ‘Accommodating Religious Law in the United Kingdom’.

Professor Malik said, ‘The ancient Magna Carta has become a symbol for the very modern concepts rule of law, personal freedom and human rights. The commemoration of the Magna Carta provides a valuable opportunity to reflect modern legal problems such as how law should respond to increasing cultural and religious diversity.’

The Conveners of the conference were Robin Griffith-Jones, Master of the Temple and Senior Lecturer in Theology at King’s, and Mark Hill QC, Bencher of the Inner Temple, with Professor Robert Blackburn.

Visit the Magna Carta 800th website.