Religious Authority and Constitutional Order

This paper discusses the interpretation of the Constitution of the Shia Imami Ismailis via the constitutionally established institutions of the Conciliation and Arbitration Boards (CABs). It views the Constitution as a variety of non-scriptural “religious text” and discusses the social and historical context of the community, the Constitution and the CABs. The paper argues that the structure and operation of the CABs are designed to balance diverse local and contextual factors within the tradition and doctrine of singular Imamat authority and that, in so doing, the interpretational system of the CABs demonstrates how religious texts may be understood in ways that accommodate plurality and community engagement while still preserving hierarchy and authority

Arbitration · Business · Conciliation · Political science · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Islamic Studies and History · Law · Finance

• The Case for Religious Constitutions

  Open Access•Benjamin Schonthal•Law & Social Inquiry•2021

  Add to list