Unholy Discrimination : An Overview on the Legal Rules Governing the Consideration of the Balance of Interests Between Gender Equality and the Freedom of Religion in Access to Leading Spiritual Office

The study Unholy Discrimination addresses conflicts between gender equality and religious freedom, including the lack of female access to leading spiritual offices. In the Roman Catholic Church, canon law forbids female priesthood: "Only a baptised man can validly receive sacred ordination" (can. 1024).The study takes a legal approach to the equal treatment of men and women. It discusses whether this method is appropriate to the field of religion, and also considers conflicts that arise from the state's duty to protect the fundamental rights of all its citizens.