Religion Federalism And The Struggle For Public Life

In the past decade, the struggle for new forms of federal order and public life has exploded in central Europe, the former Soviet Union, and South Africa. Religious traditions and organizations have played a crucial role in these revolutions, and have also been critical to the establishment of constitutional orders in post-colonial countries like India. Moreover, they continue to undergird and to challenge the understanding of public life in the United States, whether in church-state conflicts or Native American religious claims. William Everett examines the role of religious traditions in the development of modern federal republicanism, seeking answers to such questions as: How have patterns of religious organization shaped federal republican orders? How do different cultures weave together these political and religious threads into a living fabric that fits their own cultural heritage? How are Western religious traditions of covenant and conciliarism relevant for understanding religion and constitutional developments in non-Western cultures? The author argues that a better comparative grasp of these dynamics is essential to our understanding of the establishment, sustenance, and development of federal republican governance. He presents, as a first step toward this goal, a detailed and comparative study of these patterns in India, Germany, and the United States.

In Patriotism and Piety, Jonathan Den Hartog argues that the question of how religion would function in American society was decided in the decades after the Constitution and First Amendment established a legal framework. Den Hartog shows that among the wide array of politicians and public figures struggling to define religion’s place in the new nation, Federalists stood out—evolving religious attitudes were central to Federalism, and the encounter with Federalism strongly shaped American Christianity. Den Hartog describes the Federalist appropriations of religion as passing through three stages: a "republican" phase of easy cooperation inherited from the experience of the American Revolution; a "combative" phase, forged during the political battles of the 1790s–1800s, when the destiny of the republic was hotly contested; and a "voluntarist" phase that grew in importance after 1800. Faith became more individualistic and issue-oriented as a result of the actions of religious Federalists. Religious impulses fueled party activism and informed governance, but the redirection of religious energies into voluntary societies sapped party momentum, and religious differences led to intraparty splits. These developments altered not only the Federalist Party but also the practice and perception of religion in America, as Federalist insights helped to create voluntary, national organizations in which Americans could practice their faith in interdenominational settings. Patriotism and Pietyfocuses on the experiences and challenges confronted by a number of Federalists, from well-known leaders such as John Adams, John Jay, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and Timothy Dwight to lesser-known but still important figures such as Caleb Strong, Elias Boudinot, and William Jay.

William Everett has taught in Catholic and Protestant theological schools in the United States, Germany, India, and South Africa. Out of these rich and varied experiences he lays out here in concise manner the main concepts, theories, and commitments that have emerged in his work. From his origins in Washington, DC, to his later research in Germany, India, South Africa, and Cyprus, he reflects on how his experience and life story have shaped his intellectual and religious vision. This exposition of his thought ranges from construction of frameworks for relating Christianity to the behavioral sciences to substantive engagement with concepts of covenant and constitutionalism, the oikos of work, family, and faith, and ecological and restorative justice. Moving beyond the academic, he shows us how his poetry, liturgies, historical fiction, and woodcraft also manifest many of these themes in other forms. In this exposition and interrogation of his life and work, Everett invites us into deeper reflection on the connections that constitute our own.

Presents a guide to the issues related to religion and the state, including definitions, primary sources, important documents, research tools, organizations, and notable persons.

This volume brings together eight US authors breaking new ground with multidisciplinary perspectives and an exciting range of real-life topics concerning the central question, ‘What is civil liberty?’ The contributions here dive into freedom of speech, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and much more, examining how and why marginalized groups such as African Americans, women, and queers used civil liberties in their struggle for equality. Topics covered in this volume range from considering how we can moderate the corrupting influences of luxury and consumerism promoted by private property rights to the dilemma of teaching politically controversial civil liberty topics and the role of free speech in the classroom. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in civil liberty, whether an expert, novice, or in-between.

«Public Religion» and the Pancasila-Based State of Indonesia: An Ethical and Sociological Analysis analyzes the public role of religion in Indonesian society from the pre-independence period to the end of Suharto's New Order government. It offers constructive suggestions regarding how Indonesian religion can play a significant role within the framework of Pancasila, Indonesia's national ideology. Based on a Christian-Muslim dialogue, it is only within the realm of civil society that Indonesian religion will be able to promote the ideas of democracy, tolerance, and human rights in Indonesian public affairs. In short, far from being anti-pluralist, Indonesian religion evolves as a liberating force in the life of society, nation, and state.

He, Breen, and Allison-Reumann combine qualitative and quantitative research to compare the successes and failures of attempts at federalism in Asian countries. Federalism is an increasingly common approach to improving governance and resolving ethnic conflict in Asia. However, Asian federalism faces three thorny problems. First, the ethnic federalism paradigm dominates political and intellectual life, rendering political compromise difficult and creating an obstacle to establishing or improving federalism in Asia. Second, religious fundamentalism and secular refusal to accommodate religious demands pose an existential threat to federal politics. Third, a majoritarian democracy is itself a threat to federalism in Asia and the peace and stability that it is meant to underpin. Through a truly comparative analysis, He, Breen, and Allison-Reumann investigate the potential for a hybrid-ethnic approach, religious moderation, and deliberative democracy to overcome these challenges. They analyse cases from across Asia – both successes and failures. These include countries encompassing the first generation of federalism in Asia – India, Malaysia, and Pakistan – and challenges faced by the new, emerging, and aspiring federal states, namely Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. They demonstrate how federalism can be achieved through compromise and a continual renegotiation of its underpinning values. A vital resource for scholars of political systems in Asia and of federalism more broadly.