Political Theology and Pluralism

Reviving the ancient political wisdom of St. Augustine in combination with insights drawn from contemporary political theorist John Rawls, Joseph Rivera grapples with the polarizing nature of religion in the public square. Political theology, as a discipline, tends to argue that communitarianism remains the only viable political option for religious practitioners in a complex, pluralist society. Unsurprisingly, we are increasingly accustomed to think the religious voice is anti-secular and illiberal. On the contrary, Christian theology and political liberalism, Rivera argues, are not incompatible. Political Theology and Pluralism challenges the longstanding antithesis between theology and political liberalism by asking his readers to focus not on difference, but on our common humanity. Outlining real strategies for public dialogue in a liberal state, Rivera offers the opportunity to discover what it means to practice civic friendship in pluralist context.

Advances the debate about the nature of public dialogue in a pluralistic, liberal democracy Develops a strategy for citizens who seek to take concrete steps toward the formulation of such dialogue Offers an alternative reading of John Rawls

Autorentext

Joseph Rivera is lecturer in Systematic Theology at Dublin City University, Ireland.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. The Structures of Liberal Democracy.- 3. Christian Saeculum and Pluralism.- 4. Strategies for Dialogue in a Pluralist Age.- 5. Conclusion.