Preface to the first edition

• Author: M.H. Ogilvie
• Pages: 21-23

xxi

PR EFACE

To the First Edition

I believe this to be the only book of its kind in Canada: the f‌irst compre-

hensive legal textbook on the law relating to religious institutions. My

own awareness of the ex istence of a substantial body of law relating to re-

ligion and to religious inst itutions dates from 1980 when I wondered what

it was I was supposed to do, when I was elected a tru stee of the Christ ian

congregation to which I then belonged. A born legal pedant, I t urned to

the law reports to lear n something about how religious institutions in

Canada are regulated. A compulsive legal scribbler, I ended by writing a

guidebook for the use of future trustees within t hat congregation.

Since then, interactions between law and religion within Canadian

society have accelerated for a variety of reason s, of which the coming

into force of the Charter in 1982, and the increasing litigiousness w ithin

religious communities, are but two of the more important. A wide var-

iety of both public and private law issues h ave been re-opened for debate

by courts, legislature s, and religious institutions, themselves, as a result.

These issues go to the fundamental purpose s of human life and of life in

society, particularly Canadian society, and show no signs of abating in

the foreseeable future. When I began in 1989, what I believe to be the

f‌irst course in a Canad ian university law progr amme on the subject, I

was surprised to f‌ind it to be fully subscr ibed, as it continues to be.

Perhaps foolishly, I have written this book with t wo potential audi-

ences in mind, law yers who are asked to act in matters relating to reli-

gion, and church administ rators who are increasingly bumping into t he

common law while carr ying out their duties. Hav ing been consulted by