International Center for Law and Religion Studies

The Twenty-second Annual International Law and Religion Symposium was held 4-6 October 2015 on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. This year's delegates — approximately 90 leading scholars, jurists, and political and civil society leaders from 38 countries — joined in exploring issues surrounding the theme Religion, Law, and Social Stability. 

The Center expresses its gratitude to the distinguished keynote speakers, who also received this year's Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Gunnar Stålsett and Professor David Little opened the conference with excellent and thought-provoking addresses.

The Center is also immensely grateful to all of the distinguished delegates, many of whom made considerable sacrifices to travel long distances to be with us in Provo and Salt Lake City. The depth and breadth of the presentations... more

Keynote addresses at the 22nd Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, held Sunday evening October 4, 2015, were delivered by Dr. Gunnar Stålsett, Moderator of the European Council of Religious Leaders and International President, World Council of Religions for Peace, and Professor David Little, currently a research fellow at Georgetown University's Berkley Center, who was at the time of his retirement in 2009 T.J. Dermot Dunphy Professor of the Practice in Religion, Ethnicity, and International Conflict at Harvard... more

The International Center for Law and Religion Studies was honored to present Professor David Little, Emeritus Professor, Harvard Divinity School, and currently Fellow, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and Dr. Gunnar Stålsett, Moderator, European Council of Religious Leaders; International President, World Council of Religions for Peace with the Center's Distinguished Service Awards for 2015, at the Opening Session of the 22nd Annual International Law and Religion Symposium. The award is given to outstanding proponents of the cause of freedom of religion or belief worldwide, and the Center is honored to be able to "celebrate the important role David Little... more

BYU Law Review Volume 2016, No 4

Approximately 90 leading scholars, jurists, and political and civil society leaders from 38 countries joined in exploring issues surrounding the theme Religion, Law, and Social Stability at the 22nd Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, held 4-6 October 2015. Four papers from this Symposium were... more

Before his retirement in 2009, David Little was Professor of the Practice in Religion, Ethnicity, and International Conflict at Harvard Divinity School, and was an Associate at Harvard's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He is at present a Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & International Affairs at Georgetown University. He was Senior Scholar in Religion, Ethics and Human Rights at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. Before that, he taught at the University of Virginia and Yale Divinity School and was a member of the State Department Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad.... more

Bishop Gunnar Stålsett is an International President of the World Council of Religions for Peace and a member of its Board. He served as the co-chair for the XVI International AIDS Conference and as General Secretary of The Lutheran World Federation (Geneva). He has also been a member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. Over a period in the 1970s, he held offices as deputy member of the Norwegian Parliament, State Secretary for Education, Culture and Church Affairs, and member of the City Council of Oslo. He has served as an advisor to the Norwegian government on issues such as arms control, disarmament, and peace and reconciliation. He has participated... more

The success of the International Law and Religion Symposium each year is due in large part to the planning and performance of a group of outstanding students from the BYU Law School who, acting under the direction of Center Associate Director Elizabeth Clark, serve as members of the Student Executive Committee. The Center is honored to announced the Committee for the 22nd Annual International Law and Religion Symposium:

• Master Schedule.  Aline Longstaff, Chair, with Cara Duchene and Laura Shrum. The team coordinates and oversees the Master Schedule