British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Natural Law and Toleration in the Early Enlightenment

A specialist workshop convened by Professor Susan Mendus, FBA, University of York,
Dr. Jon Parkin,  University of York, and Dr Tim Stanton, University of York

  Friday, 13 April 2007
10.00am - 6.00pm followed by a drinks reception
£20 (£10 concessions)

The British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace,
London, SW1Y 5AH

ABOUT THIS EVENT | PROGRAMME

The issue of toleration is central to the dilemmas faced by modern multicultural societies. At a time when questions of toleration are more pressing than ever it seems appropriate to re-examine some of the key early thinkers who set the terms for the modern debate. Writing in response to new and disturbing problems of religious pluralism natural law theorists such as John Locke and Samuel Pufendorf established theoretical positions that continue to influence our discussion of toleration today. Their investigation of the natural rights of man and the origins and purposes of civil and religious associations had important implications for the modern understanding of the relationship between the state, confessional groups and individuals. This legacy was complex: On the one hand natural law theory could and did create conceptual space for ideas of liberty of conscience and policies of toleration, on the other it was also used to legitimise state control over external religious practices, thus creating intolerant civic religions. The conflicted and sometimes Janus-faced legacy of natural law theory lives on in contemporary discussions of toleration which attempt to reconcile a belief in the importance of individual rights with the requirements of security and order. Returning to some of the key texts in this tradition may therefore help to shed new light upon current and pressing problems, and suggest terms in which they might be more fruitfully discussed.

A follow-up public panel discussion, on Toleration Past and Present, was subsequently held on 8 October 2007.

Article in the British Academy Review (2008) (PDF file - 119 KB)