Edward A. David

Recently, Blackfriars Hall — one of the Permanent Private Halls of the University and my college home in Oxford — hosted a book event for my thesis-turned-monograph, A Christian Approach to Corporate Religious Liberty.

I’m most grateful to Blackfriars (especially Dr Clare Broome Saunders, Fr Bruno Clifton and Kinga Róna-Gabnai) for their encouragement and logistical support. Special thanks must be given to the respondents, Brett Bertucio and Professor Matava, who offered generous and insightful comments.

Professor Matava posed important questions concerning the relationship between Communio ecclesiology and my proffered notion of strong group realism as applied to the Church. And Brett used my approach to examine contentious Supreme Court cases involving the autonomy of religious schools.

Both respondents remarked upon my theory’s ability to move beyond the contemporary polarisation of individual and group rights, and to responsibly broaden the organisational scope of religious freedom. Their thoughtful remarks will certainly help me to move forward in the year ahead.

A Christian Approach to Corporate Religious Liberty is available for purchase through Palgrave Macmillan. A full-length recording of the Blackfriars book event will be available in the new year on the Las Casas Institute YouTube channel.