Because my religion says so: democratic theory and internal diversity in religions

Abstract

Religious communities are increasingly seeking participation in public space on the basis of the recognition of their religious convictions and beliefs. This has led to a growing debate about the status of arguments based on religious beliefs in democratic deliberations. The paper outlines this development and explores tensions it often generates between obligations towards religion and demands of the state. Within this context, the main concern of the paper is the often neglected issue of the relationship between demands for recognition by religious communities and their internal diversity. Through the case study of Islam, the paper argues that unless religious communities devise ways of engaging with their internal diversity they will be inconsistent in their stance: seeking representation externally and suppressing it internally.