Religion in the Public Square: The Place of Religious Convictions in Political Debate

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Rowman & Littlefield, 1997 - Philosophy - 180 pages
This vigorous debate between two distinguished philosophers presents two views on a topic of worldwide importance: the role of religion in politics. Audi argues that citizens in a free democracy should distinguish religious and secular considerations and give them separate though related roles. Wolterstorff argues that religious elements are both appropriate in politics and indispensable to the vitality of a pluralistic democracy. Each philosopher first states his position in detail, then responds to and criticizes the opposing viewpoint. Written with engaging clarity, Religion in the Public Square will spur discussion among scholars, students, and citizens.

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Contents

LIBERAL DEMOCRACY AND THE PLACE OF RELIGION IN POLITICS Robert Audi
1
Separation of Church and State as Addressed to the State
3
The libertarian principle
4
The equalitarian principle
5
The neutrality principle
6
Religious Obligation and Political Conduct
9
Grounds and dimensions of religious obligation
10
The mutual independence of religious sources of obligation
12
Rawlss Version of the Liberal Position
90
Rawlss Attempt to Identify the Independent Source
96
Does the Source Yield the Principles Needed?
102
Is It Fair to Ask Everyone to Use the Source?
104
Rawlss Rationale
105
What Does Respect Require?
109
No Restraint on Religious Reasons
111
Do We Need Consensus?
113

Connections among religious and secular sources
13
Civic Virtue and Religious Conviction
16
Civic virtue religious commitment and moral obligation
17
Theoethical equilibrium
21
Some Principles and Practices of Civic Virtue
24
Secular rationale
25
Secular motivation
28
Civic voice
34
The mutual integration of civic and religious virtues
35
principle of theoethical equilibrium
37
Separation of Church and State as Addressed to the Church
38
Ecclesiastical neutrality
39
Clerical neutrality
45
Some Problems of Application
47
THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN DECISION AND DISCUSSION OF POLITICAL ISSUES Nicholas Wolterstorff
67
What Is a Liberal Democracy?
69
The Liberal Position
72
The Ethic of the Citizen and Restraints on Reasons
76
Are Religious Reasons too Dangerous to Permit?
78
Lockes Version of the Liberal Position
80
The Consocial Position
114
Application to Public Officials
116
WOLTERSTORFF ON RELIGION POLITICS AND THE LIBERAL STATE Robert Audi
121
Wolterstorffs Critique of the Liberalism of Locke and Rawls
129
Wolterstorffs Positive View of Religion and Politics
139
AUDI ON RELIGION POLITICS AND LIBERAL DEMOCRACY Nicholas Wolterstorff
145
Audis Version of the Liberal Position
148
Audis Rationale
151
Evaluation of the Rationale
157
Audis Independent Source
161
In Summary
164
CLOSING COMMENTS AND REMAINING ISSUES Robert Audi
167
Consensus versus Majority Preference as Democratic Standards
168
The Justification of Coercion
169
Liberal Democracy and Mutual Respect
172
Secular Reasons and Secular Motivation
173
INDEX
175
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
179
Copyright

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