“Introduction,” to John Witte, Jr. and Frank S. Alexander, eds. Christianity and Human Rights: An Introduction 

Abstract

This introduction provides an overview of the biblical and classical foundations of human rights, and summarizes the historical development of human rights within the three main branches of Christianity-Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. The introduction argues for a symbiotic relationship between law and religion. Religious narratives need human rights norms both to protect them and to challenge them, and the regime of law, democracy, and human rights needs religion to survive.

Keywords: Law and Religion, Human Rights, Hermeneutics, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Democracy, Constitutionalism