Religious Exemptions in Ancient China

The issue of religious exemptions is a major feature in contemporary debates over religious freedom and equality rights. This article presents evidence of Confucianist religious exemptions in law dating back to 200 BCE in ancient China. Even with this large disparity in time, there are some surprisi...

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Main Author: Brady Earley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Southern Queensland Law, Religion, and Heritage Research Program Team 2024-12-01
Series:Australian Journal of Law & Religion
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Earley-Religious-Exemptions-in-Ancient-China-FINAL.pdf
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author Brady Earley
author_facet Brady Earley
author_sort Brady Earley
collection DOAJ
description The issue of religious exemptions is a major feature in contemporary debates over religious freedom and equality rights. This article presents evidence of Confucianist religious exemptions in law dating back to 200 BCE in ancient China. Even with this large disparity in time, there are some surprising parallels between ancient and contemporary religious exemptions in law and the debates that have accompanied them. The article argues that religious exemptions — whether modern or ancient — run to the relationship between rights and responsibilities. It suggests modern approaches towards religious exemptions may profit from greater attention to concepts like human dignity that do not allow duties to be overshadowed by rights.
format Article
id doaj-art-04b5b524aff447328e056f079ef4125f
institution Kabale University
issn 2653-5122
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher University of Southern Queensland Law, Religion, and Heritage Research Program Team
record_format Article
series Australian Journal of Law & Religion
spelling doaj-art-04b5b524aff447328e056f079ef4125f2025-02-04T04:23:59ZengUniversity of Southern Queensland Law, Religion, and Heritage Research Program TeamAustralian Journal of Law & Religion2653-51222024-12-015113https://doi.org/10.55803/T163BReligious Exemptions in Ancient ChinaBrady Earley0University of Chicago Law SchoolThe issue of religious exemptions is a major feature in contemporary debates over religious freedom and equality rights. This article presents evidence of Confucianist religious exemptions in law dating back to 200 BCE in ancient China. Even with this large disparity in time, there are some surprising parallels between ancient and contemporary religious exemptions in law and the debates that have accompanied them. The article argues that religious exemptions — whether modern or ancient — run to the relationship between rights and responsibilities. It suggests modern approaches towards religious exemptions may profit from greater attention to concepts like human dignity that do not allow duties to be overshadowed by rights.https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Earley-Religious-Exemptions-in-Ancient-China-FINAL.pdfreligious freedomreligious exemptionschinaancient china
spellingShingle Brady Earley
Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
Australian Journal of Law & Religion
religious freedom
religious exemptions
china
ancient china
title Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
title_full Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
title_fullStr Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
title_full_unstemmed Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
title_short Religious Exemptions in Ancient China
title_sort religious exemptions in ancient china
topic religious freedom
religious exemptions
china
ancient china
url https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Earley-Religious-Exemptions-in-Ancient-China-FINAL.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT bradyearley religiousexemptionsinancientchina