Mexico's Churches Dispute Details of New Law on State and Religion Law Gives Official Recognition to Religions, but Critics Say It Also Gives the Interior Ministry Arbitrary Power over the Internal Life of Churches

David Clark Scott, writer of The Christian Science Monitor, The Christian Science Monitor

A NEW law intended to launch Mexico into a era of clearer church-state relations is being swept up in a tempest of controversy.

"This boat is taking on water fast," says Roberto Blancarte, president of the Center for Religious Studies in Mexico, an nonsectarian academic research group. "Neither the Catholic hierarchy nor most of the other religions are satisfied with this law."

The Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship, passed July 15, fills in the details of the constitutional reforms initiated by President Carlos Salinas de Gortari in January.

For decades, governments here refused to recognize the existence of the Roman Catholic Church or any …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Mexico's Churches Dispute Details of New Law on State and Religion Law Gives Official Recognition to Religions, but Critics Say It Also Gives the Interior Ministry Arbitrary Power over the Internal Life of Churches. Contributors: David Clark Scott, writer of The Christian Science Monitor - Author. Newspaper title: The Christian Science Monitor. Publication date: July 24, 1992. Page number: 6. © 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.