ABSTRACT
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and derivative global and regional covenants, as well as numerous national constitutions, proclaim the basic human right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Religion inspires not only the validation of human rights, but also the advocacy of human rights. Religion can provide 'an arena of innovation and ever-new gifts for the human family', says the World Future Society. Ann Elizabeth Mayer conveys in her wide-ranging contribution, presents no exception to the ambiguity of religion as upholder of human rights. Religion has inspired approaches of truth and reconciliation in societies recovering from grave abuses of human rights as an alternative or complement to criminal punishment of the perpetrators of such crimes. Blu Greenberg combines devotion to her Orthodox community and its traditions with a championing of women's rights within that community in divorce, liturgy, learning, leadership, ritual, and other matters.
