The 33rd Corbishley Lecture will be given by Professor Joseph Weiler on “State, Faith and Nation – the European Conundrum”, on Wednesday 14 September at 6.30 pm in the House of Lords
by kind courtesy of WPCT Patrons Lord Tomlinson and Lord Williamson, and with special thanks to the Mercers’ Company for their generosity
The lecture will be preceded by a reception from 6 pm and is free of charge
The 2011 Corbishley Lecture will explore the many challenges to secular and religious relationships of Europe’s new plurality and the implications for integration and peaceful co-existence of its multiple identities and allegiances. The lecture will be followed by a wide-ranging discussion.
This year’s distinguished Corbishley lecturer is Professor Joseph Weiler, Joseph Straus Professor of Law and European Union Jean Monnet Chair at the New York University School of Law. From 1978 to 1985 he was a member of the Department of Law at the European University Institute, Florence, where in 1989 he was co-founder of its Academy of European Law.
Last year Professor Weiler acted as attorney for the Italian and other governments in the landmark Lautsi case on the prohibition of the crucifix and other religious symbols in public schools. Speaking after the successful outcome of their appeal against the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling he said,
“Europe is special in that it guarantees at the private level both freedom of religion and freedom from religion, but does not force its various peoples to disown in its public spaces what for many is an important part of the history and identity of their states, a part recognized even by those who do not share the same religion or any religion at all”.
Professor Weiler is a committed member of the Orthodox Jewish community in the Bronx. In 2003 he published a best-selling book “A Christian Europe”.
The 2011 Lecture is the 33rd in the series held in memory of Father Thomas Corbishley, former Master of Campion Hall, Oxford, and Superior at Farm Street, London.
To register, please e-mail [email protected] or write to Mrs Win Burton, Secretary, WPCT, 134 Main Road, Long Hanborough OX29 8JY; a ticket will be issued shortly before the event with instructions for security and entrance to the House of Lords.