[Anglican Mainstream] 13 Jul 2008--Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the Anglican Bishop of Rochester , refuted claims by Britain ’s top judge that certain aspects of Sharia law should be applied to the UK legal system.
Lord Chief Justice Nicholas Phillips’ comments, made last week, echoed controversial remarks made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in February. Lord Philips, who was speaking at the East London Muslim Centre, said that British Muslims should be able to use Sharia to decide financial and marital disputes.
But the Bishop of Rochester disagrees with the Lord Chief Justice’s labeling of English law as secular. Bishop Nazir-Ali said: “I would like to reiterate what I have said on a number of occasions that English Law is not ‘secular’. It is, rather rooted in the Judaeo-Christian tradition originating from the Bible.”
He continued: “This is particularly so of ideas like dignity, equality and liberty which feature so prominently in Lord Phillips’ speech.”
However the Bishop also said he agreed that the state “should make as much room for religious conscience as it is possible to do.” He argued: “The leaders of different faiths will naturally, seek to guide their peoples in the light of their faith and to make a contribution to public life on the same basis. The integrity and autonomy of public law will also have to be recognised and it would be best if the application of religious law were to be left to the communities concerned and to the free obedience of their members.”
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