books

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

The Review - BOOKS
Published: 21 February 2008

?Middle Temple Hall

An insight into the Knights' club

THE Most Reverend and Rt Hon Rowan Williams may wish he had never made his comments on sharia but, though some ears burned when the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke out on Civil and Religious Law in England: a religious perspective, at the 2008 Temple Festival a fortnight ago, the institution had heard it all before.
Built by the Knights of the Templars (now best-known as Da Vinci Code groupies) in the 14th century, the Temple harks back to a time when religious law was still the rod and comfort of the state.
If Dr Williams’s lecture echoed times past, it is not surprising.
History continues to exercise a great pull on the Temple.
It is 400 years since King James I granted the land and buildings in the Temple to the two Inns of Court – the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple – and the festival is a fitting celebration; five months of art, music and intellectual debate.
Still to come in the season: AC Grayling, professor of philosophy at Birkbeck, alongside Mona Siddiqui, Anna Ford and the Archbishop of Armagh will rake the embers of the fire Dr Williams started when they discuss Law and Religion: Which is to be Master? at the LSO St Luke’s in April.
Madrigals and wine tasting, a lecture on the links between Dr Johnson, James Boswell and the Inner Temple, and performances from the Temple Church Choir and the Temple Players follow.
SIMON WROE

• The Temple Festival runs throughout the year and is open to members of the public. Visit www.temple2008.org

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

» A-Z Book titles