«The tension and interaction between notions such as secularity, secularism, secularization, neutrality of the state, "wall of separation," and other such similar concepts on the one hand, and, on the other, religion, religious communities, religious autonomy, religious expression, and the like, constitute the general subject of this book. The editors and contributors have made an effort to illuminate from different perspectives the fascinating problems and conflicts that the increasingly dramatic role of religion in modern international life engenders. Such issues are global as well as particular, worldwide as well as domestic. The modern state, a secular organization on the whole regardless of the form of relationship with religion that it adopts, must produce answers acceptable to the majority of its population that do not hurt the rights of minorities not sharing the predominant faith. This book explores some of the major situations demanding the attention of all sectors of the pluralistic world that is currently evolving.» (Natan Lerner, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel)
