Law and the Financing of Religion in a Secular State by University of Victoria

A diverse body of law regulates how religious groups may finance their religious activities, including whether they receive public funding. Through this law the secular state encourages socially beneficial religious activity and deters activity that infringes human rights or threatens state interests. But the law’s potential to facilitate the harmonious and productive interaction of state and religion for the common good is hampered by confusion and controversy concerning the content and relationship of key concepts such as public benefit, freedom of religion, and religious neutrality. This lecture proposes a conceptual framework for better understanding religious financing law.

Pauline Ridge is a Professor of Law at the Australian National University. She researches in equity, restitution and contract law, and has a special interest in the intersection of private law with religion. Her current project examines the regulation of religious financing from both doctrinal and legal history perspectives.