From Apartheid to Democracy: A Study of Religion and the Law in a Changing South Africa

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine how religion and religious freedom will fare in the new democratic South Africa. This is not an easy task, for the democracy is young and religious freedom is not a burning issues at the present moment. Thus this paper relies on observation and speculation informed by historical understanding; it also takes into account the experiences of other democratic countries, the United States included, under the assumption that the problems that have arisen in other democracies may arise .in South Africa. The first two sections of the paper will acquaint the reader with South Africa, its political and legal heritage and its diverse religious traditions. The third section draws upon these two sections and the future of religious freedom in the new South Africa is considered. [From Introduction]