Roger Smith muses on the conflict between divine and secular law.
Henry VIII has a lot to answer for. His conflation of church and state, so convenient in the gratification of his lust for Anne Boleyn and greed for monastic wealth, lies heavy with us still. As a result, Prince Charles muses whether, if ever he becomes king, he should be the defender of the faith or the faiths. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, speculates on the “unavoidable” need for the state to recognise shariah law.
RACISM AND MEDIA HYPE
Much of the political and media firestorm that engulfed Williams was barely disguised racism and media hype. The latter reached its nadir with Newsnight. We were treated to Jeremy Paxman, generally a national treasure and beloved rottweiler at the throats of the powerful, hounding Dr Tariq Ramadan over two propositions that, when allowed the odd word, he manifestly did not support. He argues that there are various definitions of shariah law—not one—and he certainly does not argue for the legal preference of any. Ramadan deserves a voice
