Dialoguing with Paganism

(Excerpt) Professor Smith’s comparison of ancient and contemporary beliefs in the “immanent sacred” works well. By this I mean that it’s quite plausible, and accounts for quite a few contemporary claims, disputes, and movements in both law and culture. The book’s implications for law are likely too complicated to allow for anything like its straightforward application in today’s religion clause contests. Still, it might indirectly assist traditional believers to lower the temperature of, or even avoid, such contests.

I develop each of these points below.