Reaping the Whirlwind: Liberal Democracy and the Religious AxisAs early as the sixteenth century the liberal democratic state has been forced to confront the question of religion in politics. The result has been a tense and uncomfortable balancing act. Today, in the public square of liberal democracy, a number of religious confessions and beliefs compete for attention. In the American experience, some sense of religious pluralism and relative social harmony has been maintained. However, for this relationship to prevail, a tension must continue to exist—one that balances the political and social pursuits of self-interest with meeting the objectives of the common good. In Reaping the Whirlwind, John R. Pottenger shows how this process began in the modern world, and how societies attempt to manage this ongoing conflict. The first part of the book lays the groundwork of his analysis by using examples from history to demonstrate the genesis of political and religious "whirlwinds." It goes on to explore contemporary case studies, such as conflicts between Mormons and Evangelicals in the United States, liberation theology in Latin America, Islam and the state in Uzbekistan, and radical Christian reconstructionism. Pottenger believes that the formal institutions of liberal democracy should maintain this turbulence, even as religious activism threatens to upset the balance. He concludes by advocating religious liberty and recognizing the individual and social need for expression. At the same time, he maintains that the survival of liberal democracy requires that these religious traditions not dominate the public sphere. |
From inside the book
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... Public Square 127 7 Liberation Theology's Methodological Insurgency: Confronting Liberal Democracy 157 8 Islam and the State: Modifying Liberal Democracy 184 9 Christian Reconstructionism: Defying the Religious Axis 208 Part Four ...
... public institutions and the motives of decision makers . Frequently , Christian leaders , theologians , and activists assert that political insti- tutions , particularly the federal courts , are biased against religion in the public square ...
... public religious expression. Specifically, Moore's case illustrates the competition of conflicting worldviews in the public square. As a result of political conflict and religious competition, flight from pluralism has become appealing ...
... public square, dis- quieting issues of religion and politics abound among private citizens and public officials. Unresolved ethical issues, such as those regarding embryonic stem-cell research, elective abortion, euthanasia, pornogra ...
... public square, the contrary essences of biblical or Qur'anic covenantal religion and liberal democratic contract theory have clashed, igniting a firestorm over one icon of religious expression. During the past four decades in the United ...
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Reaping the Whirlwind: Liberal Democracy and the Religious Axis John R. Pottenger No preview available - 2007 |