I found this book a good and informative read. I would recommend it, provided one is aware of its limitations. The book seeks to introduce the law on religious liberty to a relatively well-informed audience; and in that sense it achieves its purpose. It is not an intellectual book and is weak on principles and theory, but nor is it a basic ‘nutshell’ book. Thus it serves its purpose as a useful introduction to the subject.
I must make a confession; it is rather unusual reading a book in which the majority of cases discussed are ones that I have argued. However, the book is a good read and a good introduction to the subject; some points are unrealistic, others are rather good. Thus, in general there is a useful distilling of the issues.
The book is divided into workable sections such as ‘What is Religion?’ ‘Religious Discrimination in Employment’ and ‘Religious Discrimination in Education’. The chapters draw attention to the major domestic cases in each sector. The chapters make useful points and adequately summarise the law such as the criteria for assessment of a religion by a Court. Addison identifies the test as:
i. is the belief sincere, or a pretence;
ii. does it cross the threshold of triviality;
iii. is the belief coherent;
iv. is it an opinion of the day;
v. does it engage man's relationship with God; and
vi. is the belief compatible with human dignity?
Now, we all know that a case will arise in which a religious and philosophical belief will clash, or the issue of Buddhists not believing in a transcendental deity, or Judge A will hold (as one recently did) that belief in environmentalism is a protected belief within the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, but this distilling of criteria is useful.
Thus this book is a good introduction to the field. There is also a practical element with discussion of issues and practical parts such as job specifications for religious employments. However, there are some limitations; the case scope is limited and restricted to well known cases in the courts of the United Kingdom. The basic parts of the case are accurately summarised, but the background argument and proposition are not. As noted, there is an absence of theory (as opposed to interesting examples). Furthermore, whilst it is only a basic introduction to the subject, I would not fully agree with all of Addison's analysis on religious rights. Part of this is because the book is too sensible. Unfortunately, the field of religious rights has become increasingly political and some equalities are more important than other equalities!
