Cross-Cultural Management Journal (Dec 2016)
BASICS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ROGER WILLIAMS (1604?-1683) AND THE CONCEPT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Abstract
The problem of religious freedom can be studied from various perspectives. This kind of freedom can be complete, or limited. Roger Williams proposed complete religious freedom, which would extend to all Christian denominations, but also to non-Christian religions. This happened in a time when such perspectives were inconceivable by the state and the Church. Williams believes that church and state should be separate, but the state has the right to punish any individual or religious group, on the grounds of threatening the civil peace. However, the state has no right to dictate what and in whom must the citizens believe. The focus of the paper is to present the basic ideas of Williams’ concept of religious freedom and to present their relevance today.
