Douglas Laycock to deliver keynote address at religious freedom conference

Douglas Laycock, an internationally-recognized religious liberty scholar, will deliver the keynote address on Nov. 7 at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion's first religious freedom conference.

Other speakers include W. Cole Durham, Jr., founding director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at Brigham Young University Ján Figeľ, EU Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and Peter Kmec, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States.

“We are honored to welcome these speakers to Emory as we continue our conversation on the important topic of religious freedom,” said Silas Allard, CSLR associate director. “We are always seeking to bring out more voices and open up new opportunities for dialogue.”

The Restoring Religious Freedom Conference: Law, Religion, Equality, and Dignity will begin Sunday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at Emory School of Law with a conversation by Durham and Figeľ on, "A Century of Genocides: Is Better Accommodation of Conscience an Answer?"

This conversation is sponsored by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Religious Freedom Project.

On Monday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m., Kmec will give opening remarks on, "Slovak EU Presidency in the Context of Law, Religion, Equality, and Dignity."

Following morning panels, Laycock will deliver the keynote at noon. Laycock is Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law, Class of 1963 Research Professor in Honor of Graham C. Lilly, and Peter W. Low Professor of Religious Studies at University of Virginia.

After Laycock’s address, panels will resume until 5 p.m.

This conference is part of a four-year project, Restoring Religious Freedom, which is funded by a $1 million gift.

Below, please find full program details:

Restoring Religious Freedom Conference: Law, Religion, Equality, and Dignity

November 6 and 7, 2016

Emory School of Law, Hunter Atrium

Sunday, Nov. 6

7 p.m.

A Conversation between Ján Figel’, EU Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and W. Cole Durham, Founding Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies

A Century of Genocides: Is Better Accommodation of Conscience and Answer?

Moderator: Mark Goldfeder, Senior Lecturer, Emory University School of Law; Spruill Family Fellow in Law and Religion, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University; Director, Restoring Religious Freedom Project

To view this conversation on YouTube, go here.

Sponsored by J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Religious Freedom Project

Monday, Nov. 7

8:30 a.m.: Breakfast

9:00 a.m.: Opening Remarks: Peter Kmec, Slovak Ambassador to the United States

Slovak EU Presidency in the Context of Law, Religion, Equality and Dignity

9:30 a.m.: International Perspectives on Equality and Dignity

Mark Hill, Honorary Professor, Cardiff Law School, United Kingdom; Avishalom Westreich, Associate Professor, College of Law and Business, Ramat Gan, Israel, Andrea Pin, Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Padova, Italy; Sayali Bapat, SJD candidate, Emory University School of Law  

Moderator: Mark Goldfeder

To view Kmec's remarks and this panel on YouTube, go here.

10:45 a.m.: Accommodating Fundamental Rights and Religious Freedoms

Robin Wilson, Roger and Stephany Joslin Professor of Law, University of Illinois; Frank Ravitch, Professor of Law and Water H. Stowers Chair of Law and Religion, Michigan State University; John Corvino, Department of Philosophy, Chair, Wayne State University

Moderator: Daniel Frost, Assistant Professor, College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences, Clemson University

To view this panel on YouTube, go here.

Noon – 2 p.m.: Lunch and Keynote Address by Douglas Laycock, Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law, Class of 1963 Research Professor in Honor of Graham C. Lilly, and Peter W. Low Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia

To view Laycock's keynote on YouTube, go here.

2:15 p.m.: Religious Perspectives on Equality and Dignity

Chaim Saiman, Professor of Law, Villanova University; Rafael Domingo, Francisco de Vitoria Fellow, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University; Bandar Bakhashwin, SJD Candidate, Emory University School of Law; Faizat Badmus-Busari, SJD Candidate, Emory University School of Law

Moderator: Silas Allard, Associate Director, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University

To view this panel on YouTube, go here.

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Alternative Approaches to Accommodation

Michael Helfand, Associate Professor of Law and Associate Director, Diane and Guilford Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies, Pepperdine University; Michael Broyde, Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law; Steve Collis, Chair, Hollis & Hart Religious Institutions and First Amendment practice group

Moderator: John Witte, Jr., Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law and McDonald Distinguished Professor, Emory University School of Law; Director, Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University

To view this panel on YouTube, go here.

4:45 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Closing remarks, John Witte, Jr.

Co-sponsored by the Restoring Religious Freedom Project at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, which is funded by an anonymous gift, and the Fairness for All Initiative at the University of Illinois College of Law, which is made possible by a gift from the Templeton Religion Trust.