Religion and the Law: The Secularization of Testimonial Procedures
Until the nineteenth century, the testimonial oath (the oath taken by witnesses on the occasion of giving testimonial evidence) played a vital role in the determination of legal evidence. At present, however, the oath is a mere formality in judicial proceedings. Its role in the determination of lega...
| Published in: | Sociological analysis |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
1983
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| In: |
Sociological analysis
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Until the nineteenth century, the testimonial oath (the oath taken by witnesses on the occasion of giving testimonial evidence) played a vital role in the determination of legal evidence. At present, however, the oath is a mere formality in judicial proceedings. Its role in the determination of legal evidence has been completely subordinated to rational procedures associated with modern rules of evidence. Originally, the oath was decisively religious in nature. This paper will assess the development of a secularized oath, a development occurring over several centuries of Anglo-legal history (approximately 1650–1915). The changes reveal two significant underlying processes: rationalization and the differentiation of religion and the law. |
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| ISSN: | 2325-7873 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sociological analysis
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3711658 |