RT Review
T1 [Rezension von: Wuthnow, Robert, 1946-, Why religion is good for American democracy]
JF A journal of church and state
VO 65
IS 1
SP 151
OP 153
A1 Williams, Rhys H. 1955-
A2 Wuthnow, Robert 1946-
LA English
PB Oxford University Press
YR 2023
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/183897573X
AB It is currently not hard to find, on social media, in the popular press, even in scholarly literature, articles and books that explore the threats posed by religion, religious beliefs and practices, and religious believers to democracy. That is currently not a difficult case to make, although it is too often presented one-dimensionally. Into that debate comes this new work by eminent sociologist Robert Wuthnow, self-consciously taking an opposing position, well-grounded in empirical data both historical and contemporary.Just as Wuthnow is clear about the purpose of the book in the title, he states his explanation for the title’s claim upfront: "religion is good for American democracy . . because of religion’s capacity to bring diverse values, interests, and moral claims into juxtaposition with one another. Through its diversity, religion contributes to the contending beliefs, values, arguments, and counterarguments that constitute the debate about how to order our lives together" (pp. 1-2). Living collectively, Wuthnow claims (entirely correctly in my view) is as much a moral endeavor as it is economic or political. Democracy, as a way of ordering collective lives in a morally legitimate manner, must have active debate and even contention at its core. That American religion is inherently diverse, and can bring diverse voices and visions both institutionally and culturally into the democratic mix, is essential to the health of the polis. It is a clear and compelling argument.
K1 Rezension
DO 10.1093/jcs/csac088