Religion and the state : an international analysis of roles and relationships / Scott A. Merriman.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"The interaction between church and state takes many forms around the world. In the United States, the institutions are declared separate. In many countries, religion plays a significant policy role, yet that role is carefully not defined by law. Then there are places such as Iran, Vatican City, and Israel where church and state are not only inseparable, but often indistinguishable. This volume looks at the many variations of the church/state relationship in countries across the globe today." "At a time when faith-based groups have become more politically active in the United States, and with religious conflicts at the epicenter of many of the world's most dangerous hotspots, Religion and the State could not be more timely. Country by country, faith by faith, it unravels the historic underpinnings and long-range effects of the relationship between religious principles and the operations of government in its many guises worldwide."--BOOK JACKET.