The Place Of Religion In The Liberal Philosophy Of Constant Tocqueville And Lord Acton

Benjamin Constant's Philosophy of Liberalism: A Study in Politics and Religion

Benjamin Constant is widely regarded as a founding father of modern liberalism. This book presents a collection of interpretive essays on the major aspects of his life and work by a panel of international scholars.

Technology is growing at an exponential rate vis-à-vis humanity’s ability to control it. Moreover, the numerous ethical issues that technology raises are also troubling. These statements, however, may be alarmist—since Telus would tell us “The Future is Friendly”. The Modernist vision of the future was utopic, for instance Star Trek of the 1960s. But postmodern views, such as are found in Blade Runner 2049, are dystopic. Theology is in a unique interdisciplinary position to deal with the many issues, pro and con, that technology raises. Even theologians like Origen in the third century and Aquinas in the thirteenth century made forays into Artificial Intelligence and surrounding issues (they just didn’t know it at the time). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Transhumanism raise questions about what it means to be human. What is consciousness? What is soul? What are life and death? Can technology really save us and give us eternal life? Theology is in a unique position to handle these questions and issues. This book also has practical applications in terms of ecclesiology (church) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic—both in terms of what it means to be a church and in terms of the sacraments or ordinances. Is there such a thing as a “Virtual Church” or must we gather physically to constitute one? Are Baptism and Communion legitimate if one is not physically in a church building but are “online”? This book struggles with these and many other questions which will help the scholar or reader make up their own minds, however tentatively.

Classical and Protestant Liberalism: Similarities and Differences compares classical liberalism with Protestant liberalism. The book discusses similarities and differences between the philosophical propositions of these two liberal strands. The central argument is that Protestant liberalism has incorporated some key elements of classical liberalism to redefine essential elements of the Christian faith to appeal to the contemporary individual’s sense. Protestant liberal version of Christianity sharply deviates from conventional Christianity. Classical liberal notions of natural rights, social contract, individualism, pluralism, secularization, and utilitarian perspective on ethics sustain this version of Christianity. Protestant liberals present essential aspects of Christianity to contemporary individuals through these classical liberal existential views. Protestant liberal views on the immanence of God; anthropocentrism; Jesus as an ethical example; evolutionary view of the Bible; philosophical optimism; salvation; the church as an instrument of social progress; the kingdom of God; religious authority; continuity; modernism; and reduction of Christianity to its unchanging essence reveal classical liberal influences.

Have you ever wondered what libertarians think about vaccine mandates? About gun control? About racial and sexual inequalities? While libertarianism is well known as a political theory relating to the scope and justification of state authority, the breadth and depth of libertarian work on a wide range of other topics in social and political philosophy is less well known. This handbook is the first definitive reference on libertarianism that offers an in-depth survey of the central ideas from across philosophy, politics, and economics, including applications to contemporary policy issues. The forty chapters in this work provide an encyclopedic overview of libertarian scholarship, from foundational debates about natural rights theories vs. utilitarian approaches, to policy debates over immigration, punishment and policing, and intellectual property. Each chapter presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of historical and contemporary libertarian thought on its subject, and thus serves as an essential guide to current scholarship, and a starting place for discovering future lines of research. The book also contains a section on criticisms of libertarianism, written by leading scholars from the feminist, republican, socialist, and conservative perspectives, as well as a section on how libertarian political theory relates to various schools of economic thought, such as the Chicago, Austrian, Bloomington, and Public Choice schools. This book is an essential and comprehensive guide for anyone interested in libertarianism, whether sympathizer or critic.