Glasgow researchers to look into Scots religious privileges

Privileges for religion under Scots law are to be the subject of a research study at the University of Glasgow.

Funded by the Humanist Society Scotland (HSS), the 10 month project will audit Scots law to provide an authoritative guide to the extent to which it makes special provision for religion and religious organisations.

Some of these legal provisions and cases may stretch back to the 16th and 17th centuries, but others are likely to be more recent. The project report will provide a firm basis for understanding the place of religion and the extent of religious influence in the contemporary legal system.

The research will be centred at the new Humanist Studies Hub at the University of Glasgow, and is led by Professors Callum Brown (History, School of Humanities) and Jane Mair (School of Law), with the support of a research assistant, Dr Thomas Green. It will include a detailed study of contemporary and historical legal sources, leading to the publication of a report in the summer of 2015.

HSS chief executive Douglas McLellan said: "The HSS believes that for Scotland to progress as a fair and equal nation, it needs to be a nation with no special laws, practices or exemptions for religions or religious organisations. We are supporting this project to demonstrate where religion currently has privileges, which will then allow us to work with the Scottish Government and MSPs in the Scottish Parliament to take opportunities to amend legislation and reduce religious privilege."

Professor Brown added: “This is a most important research undertaking. No complete guide to religion in Scots law has been compiled since the Victorian period, and there have been so many changes in church, religion and the law since then that there is a need to provide a one-stop resource for lawyers, humanists, church people, journalists and academics."