Law and Religion has rapidly developed as an academic sub-discipline in English and Welsh Law Schools in the twenty-first century amidst a significant amount of legislation, litigation and public debate about religion. However, there are signs that this sub-discipline is becoming inward looking and stagnating. This article takes a step back and uses Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory to explore how Law and Religion has developed as a sub-discipline. Bringing together Luhmann’s work on law and his work on religion, a systems theory of Law and Religion is developed for the first time. Deriving from but refining and developing social systems theory, this article is argues that Law and Religion requires a radical rethink if it is to flourish as an area of study.

中文翻译：

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法律与宗教的系统论重构

法律与宗教在二十一世纪在大量关于宗教的立法、诉讼和公开辩论中迅速发展成为英国和威尔士法学院的一门学术分支学科。然而，有迹象表明，这个分支学科正在变得内向和停滞。本文退后一步，使用 Niklas Luhmann 的社会系统理论来探讨法律与宗教如何发展为一门分支学科。首次将卢曼的法律工作与宗教工作结合起来，形成了法律与宗教的系统理论。本文源自但完善和发展社会系统理论，认为法律和宗教如果要作为一个研究领域蓬勃发展，就需要彻底反思。