Criminal law and religion are inexorably intertwined and intersect within a multitude of dimensions. Beginning from humankind’s earliest criminal justice system, religion has influenced criminal law, affecting issues ranging from speech-related crimes and notions of forgiveness to the use of torture and capital punishment. Despite the evident interaction between criminal law and religion, there remains no major online publication dedicated to expanding understandings and explorations of these issues. Canopy Forum’s new series Conviction aims to fill this gap by sharing scholarship on these topics ranging from news and recent events to perspectives on important and relevant issues, within the intersection of criminal law and religion. The series was previously led by Matthew P. Cavedon, a criminal defense attorney with an MTS degree from Emory University. Now led by Peter Wosnik, the owner and founder of Wosnik Law, LLC, this series aims to present the intersection of criminal law and religion in an accessible and informative way.
Peter Wosnik is the owner and founder of Wosnik Law, LLC, which is a trial-based law firm serving the Metro Atlanta area. Wosnik is a graduate of Emory University School of Law (Juris Doctor) and Candler School of Theology (Master of Theological Studies) where he received the Savage-Levey scholarship in law and religion.
Latest Articles
- “Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, The Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom’ by Spencer W. McBride” by Peter Wosnik
“REVIEW: Joseph Smith for President: The Prophet, The Assassins, and the Fight for American Religious Freedom by Spencer W. McBride” … Read more - The Potential Religious Context of The Fourth Amendment by Peter Wosnik
“The Potential Religious Context of The Fourth Amendment” Peter Wosnik James Madison first introduced the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. … Read more - “The Supreme Court Expands the Rights of Prisoners Facing Execution” by Peter Wosnik
“The Supreme Court Expands the Rights of Prisoners Facing Execution” Peter Wosnik Religious liberty claims in death penalty cases have … Read more - “What the Theological Roots of Reasonable Doubt Might Teach Us” by Peter Wosnik
“What Theological Roots of Reasonable Doubt Might Teach Us” Peter Wosnik Unlike some esoteric legal terms, the term “reasonable doubt” … Read more - “Harold J. Berman on the Revitalization of Criminal Law and Religion” by Peter Wosnik
“Harold J. Berman on the Revitalization of Criminal Law and Religion” Peter Wosnik The age we live in can be … Read more - “What has Christianity to do with Criminal Law?” by Peter Wosnik
“What has Christianity to do with Criminal Law?” Peter Wosnik Released in 2020 by Routledge Press, Christianity and Criminal Law … Read more - “Ramirez v. Collier: Will the Supreme Court Expand the Right to the Presence of a Spiritual Advisor for Prisoners During Execution?” by Peter Wosnik
“Ramirez v. Collier: Will the Supreme Court Expand the Right to the Presence of a Spiritual Advisor for Prisoners During … Read more - “The End of Conviction and Possible Beginnings for Criminal Law and Religion” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“The End of Conviction and Possible Beginnings for Criminal Law and Religion” Matthew P. Cavedon Conviction began just about a … Read more - “The Right to Shun: Ghent’s Misguided Jehovah’s Witness Decision” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“The Right to Shun: Ghent’s Misguided Jehovah’s Witness Decision” Matthew P. Cavedon In March, the criminal court of Ghent, Belgium … Read more - “France’s New Marriage Laws Could Trigger Islamophobic Abuses” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“France’s New Marriage Laws Could Trigger Islamophobic Abuses“ Matthew P. Cavedon France is enacting sweeping legislation targeting Islamist extremism. Its … Read more - “Denmark’s Provincial Bias against Foreign Religious Languages” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Denmark’s Provincial Bias against Foreign Religious Languages“ Matthew P. Cavedon Denmark has proposed a new law regulating religion. Under it, … Read more - ““A Noble Alchemy”: Benefit of Clergy and the Early History of Leniency” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“‘A Noble Alchemy’: Benefit of Clergy and the Early History of Leniency” Matthew P. Cavedon Criminal justice reform efforts have … Read more - “Perfectionist Prophecy, Imperfect World” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Perfectionist Prophecy, Imperfect World” Matthew P. Cavedon I recently wrote about Patrick O’Neill, a Catholic activist convicted of vandalizing a … Read more - “Vatican Criminal Reforms Ignore Glaring Problems Even as Jurisdiction Expands Worldwide” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Vatican Criminal Reforms Ignore Glaring Problems Even as Jurisdiction Expands Worldwide” Matthew P. Cavedon On February 16, Pope Francis announced … Read more - “Which King’s Bay? Religion against the Rules in Nuclear Civil Disobedience” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Which King’s Bay? Religion against the Rules in Nuclear Civil Disobedience” Matthew P. Cavedon It is commonplace to understand religion … Read more - “Subjective Beliefs, Social Judgments, and Witch Killers” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Subjective Beliefs, Social Judgments, and Witch Killers” Matthew P. Cavedon In a 1992 abortion decision, Casey v. Planned Parenthood, a … Read more - “Opening the Doors to Perception” By Matthew P. Cavedon
“Opening the Doors to Perception” Matthew P. Cavedon This past Election Day saw a shift in the treatment of psychedelics, … Read more - “If God is a God of Redemption, Should Government Get in the Way?” by Teri Thompson
“If God is a God of Redemption, Should Government Get in the Way?” Teri Thompson If the greatest sinner on … Read more - “Practicing (and) Catholic” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Practicing (and) Catholic” Matthew P. Cavedon Sai Santosh Kumar Kolluru recently reflected for Canopy Forum on how Hindu beliefs and … Read more - “Free Speakers, Restrained Hearers: Blasphemy’s Legal Evolution” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Free Speakers, Restrained Hearers: Blasphemy’s Legal Evolution“ Matthew P. Cavedon The most infamous terror trial in modern France began in … Read more - “Reconciling Retribution and Rehabilitation” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Reconciling Retribution and Rehabilitation” Matthew P. Cavedon Ten-year-old Shane Paul O’Doherty pledged to “fight and if necessary die for Ireland’s … Read more - “Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Overly Broad Take on Judges and the Death Penalty” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Overly Broad Take on Judges and the Death Penalty” Matthew P. Cavedon Twenty-two years before she … Read more - “Don’t Write off Sharia’s Forgiveness Option Just Because of the Khashoggi Case” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Don’t Write off Sharia’s Forgiveness Option Just Because of the Khashoggi Case” Matthew P. Cavedon Jamal Khashoggi was a prominent … Read more - “So Help Him God?: The Case of the Prayerful Juror” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“So Help Him God?:The Case of the Prayerful Juror” Matthew P. Cavedon Mother Teresa said that “listening is the beginning … Read more - “Two Tracks for Twelve Steps: Rehabilitation and Religious Liberty in Criminal Sentencing” by Matthew P. Cavedon
Two Tracks for Twelve Steps: Rehabilitation and Religious Liberty in Criminal Sentencing Matthew P. Cavedon Right before Christmas 2019, a … Read more - “Last Rights? Death Chamber Chaplains and the Law” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Last Rights? Death Chamber Chaplains and the Law” Matthew P. Cavedon On December 22, 1849, twenty Russian dissidents stood on … Read more - “Have We Gone Too Far By Tearing Down Religious Monuments?” by Adrienne Phillips
“Have We Gone Too Far By Tearing Down Religious Monuments?” Adrienne Phillips Religious statues and monuments are prominent cultural, historical, … Read more - “Judge Not: The Problem with Georgia’s Charge about Religious Objection to Jury Service” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Judge Not: The Problem with Georgia’s Charge about Religious Objection to Jury Service” Matthew P. Cavedon At the start of … Read more - “God in the Attorney-Client Relationship” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“God in the Attorney-Client Relationship” Matthew P. Cavedon I was taught early on that a criminal defense attorney has to … Read more - “Russian Authorities Sentence Jehovah’s Witness” by Adrienne Phillips
“Russian Authorities Sentence Jehovah’s Witness” Adrienne Phillips The Russian Constitution of 1993 states that, “Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom … Read more - “Sudan Criminalizes FGM” by Adrienne Phillips
“Sudan Criminalizes FGM” Adrienne Phillips Sudan recently criminalized female genital mutilation (FGM). According to the United Nations, about 87 percent … Read more - “I Swear to God: Oaths, Accommodations, and the Binding of Conscience” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“I Swear to God: Oaths, Accommodations, and the Binding of Conscience” Matthew P. Cavedon Watch any courtroom drama and you … Read more - “Mass Gatherings – COVID-19 Quarantines, Religious Rights, and Criminal Law” by Matthew P. Cavedon
This article is part of our “Reflecting on COVID-19” series.If you’d like to check out other articles in this series, click here. … Read more - “Conviction: A Series on Criminal Law and Religion” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Conviction: A Series on Criminal Law and Religion” Matthew P. Cavedon “conviction (n) 1: the act or process of finding a … Read more