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...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Willen, Richard S. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: [publisher not identified] 1983
In: Sociological analysis
Year: 1983, Volume: 44, Issue: 1, Pages: 53-64
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
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.
ISSN:2325-7873
Contains:Enthalten in: Sociological analysis
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2307/3711658