Emory University's Center for the Study of Law and Religion (CSLR) will anticipate and articulate the hardest questions facing the world in the future during a major conference, "From Silver to Gold: The Next 25 Years of Law and Religion," Oct. 24-26, at Emory Law School.

"The September 11 terrorist attacks and other disastrous world events have made it very clear that law and religion are universal solvents of human living, that they are a volatile compound and that sometimes when they come together in explosive ways the world is imperiled," says John Witte, Jr., Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law and CSLR director. "In the law and religion field, we're trying to show that Jews, Christians and Muslims are dealing with a lot of the same fundamental questions and that we can learn from each other?"

Hosted in celebration of the CSLR's silver anniversary, the conference features presentations by two dozen of the world's leading scholars and will culminate in a new book. Emory President Emeritus James T. Laney; Robert Bellah, University of California at Berkeley; Stephen Carter, Yale University; Jean Bethke Elshtain, University of Chicago; Georgia Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears; and Martin E. Marty, University of Chicago, are among the distinguished speakers. See agenda.

Laney, who established the Law and Religion program at Emory in 1982, will deliver the opening keynote address Wed., Oct. 24, 8 p.m. at the Emory Conference Center. Laney's lecture is free and open to the public, and advance registration is not required.

"We've asked our speakers to be forward thinking, even prophetic, in their presentations, with an eye to giving legal and religious professionals and activists something of a map and manifesto for this field," says Witte.

The event will focus on three themes that have been central to CSLR's work the past 25 years: 1) religious liberty, human rights and church-state relations; 2) sex, marriage and family life; and 3) Christian, Jewish and Islamic legal studies.

A coffee table-style book commemorating the program's 25 years will be provided to attendees. Titled "When Law and Religion Meet: The Point of Convergence," the volume explores the tough questions sparked by the intersection of law and religion and offers projections?by global leaders in both fields?on the future flashpoints of the law-religion entanglement.

Conference registration is required and seats are limited. To register, go to http://www.law.emory.edu/cslr/silveranniversary, fees are as follows:
   o Early registration by Sept 21: $100, $50 for students and senior citizens
   o Late registration by Oct. 21: $200, $100 for students and senior citizens
   o Registration at the door (if seats are available): $250, $125 for students and senior citizens 

The Center for the Study of Law and Religion is home to world class scholars and forums on the religious foundations of law, politics, and society. It offers expertise on how the teachings and practices of Christianity, Judaism and Islam have shaped and continue to transform the fundamental ideas and institutions of our public and private lives.

Emory University is one of the nation's leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report.