Religion in the Public Square

Introduction

In Let’s Get Civil I provided a formal conceptual framework that helps us think about Religion in the Public Square. It is not intended to promote any one religion. It is intended to help We the People think about religion and its role in the public square. Formal reasoning is interesting in many ways, but for our immediate purposes it is useful to notice that formal concepts account for all of the hypotheses around a topic. A simple way to explain what that means is to point out that formal concepts identify both what is included in a concept and what is excluded. We do X, and we do not do Y.

Let’s bring in our formal conceptual framework.

A Formal Conceptual Framework for Public Theology

Intellectual Tradition:

Anti-intellectual.

Intellectual tradition in which moral theology is the focus.

Intellectual tradition in which moral theology and moral philosophy are the focus.

Basic Concept of the Nature of Humans

Humans are fundamentally corrupt, unworthy of redemption.

Humans are born innocent and learn to seek either good or evil.

Basic Concept of Redemption and Spiritual Fulfillment:

Redemption is a status, it occurs as an event in the relationship between the person and God.

Redemption is a process that begins with the person committing to God but is completed in spiritual fulfillment and living the good life.

Public Engagement and Responsibility

Has nothing to do with redemption and a spiritual life.

Is an extension of redemption, a key to living a good life and to spiritual development.

Let’s take these four topics one at a time and see which seem capable of helping us conduct productive arguments in the public square and which do not. Now remember our first axiom: full intellectual development depends upon both full cognitive development and full moral development. The ability to reason formally and the ability to reason in universal moral principles.

Intellectual Tradition:

Any religion that is anti-intellectual rejects formal reasoning and universal moral reasoning. They cannot even participate in rational arguments in the public square. We are celebrating a Renaissance of Reason.

Any religion that confines its study to moral theology alone cannot engage ideas and concepts that do not come from their sacred texts and traditions. They too would be highly would probably disrupt attempts at rational discourse in the public square. But this is a point we need to discuss further. Fr. Charles Curran has already disagreed with me.

Any religion that has developed both moral theology and moral philosophy has the capacity to engage rational arguments in the public square, but if they are bound to their canon of doctrines, they cannot participate in open dialogue. So they could have a place at the table, but they would have to prove that they can conduct arguments free of their doctrines.

Basic Concept of the Nature of Humans:

We also celebrate a Renaissance of Humanism. Let’s recall my definition.

Humanism is a cultural phenomenon that activates moral reasoning, the social sciences, literature, poetry, music and dance to celebrate the basic goodness of human beings, demand the recognition of the dignity and worth of all humans, and seek rational solutions to the problems shared within the human family.

Humanism can be grounded in either secular or religious moral reasoning. Reason makes them natural partners.

Any religion that believes that humans are fundamentally corrupt will not be able to participate in the goals and values of humanism that are at the heart of our work in the public square. Of course, the more we all agree that humanism is at the heart of our work and the more we commit to the goals of humanism, the more lively and productive our arguments will be.

And the more we believe that humans are born innocent and learn to seek good or evil, the more committed we will all be to the teaching and learning experienced by all of our children and adults.

Basic Concept of Redemption and Spiritual Fulfillment:

Redemption is a status, it occurs as an event in the relationship between the person and God.

Redemption is a process that begins with the person committing to God but is completed in spiritual fulfillment and living the good life.

This is the source of our term Status Christians. Status Christians enjoy their status which cannot change regardless of their conduct. Status Christians have no “Fear of the Lord” and could care less about the norms We the People develop in and for society. What could they possibly contribute to arguments in the Public Square?

Redemption as a process takes on more meaning in the next topic.

Public Engagement and Responsibility

Has nothing to do with redemption and a spiritual life.

Is an extension of redemption, a key to living a good life and to spiritual development.

Any religion that teaches that redemption is inextricably linked to public engagement, to bringing the good life to all of society, trains its members to join the Public Square and purse our humanistic goals and values.

What does all of this tell us? We the People need to get our act together and reject religious views that undermine or reject reason and humanism. We of course continue to defend the right of individuals to believe anything they want in their private lives and in their religious communities. But we absolutely reject anti-intellectual, anti-reason, and dehumanizing values and views that anyone tries to foist off on We the People in the Public Square.