Painting Landscapes of Religion in America: Four Models of Religion in Democracy

Author: Cladis, Mark S.

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume 76, Number 4, 3 December 2008 , pp. 874-904(31)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

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Abstract:

This article explores the role and place of religion in contemporary democratic societies, particularly in American public life. Four models are proposed for thinking about religion in public: (1) Religion over the Public Landscape (in which religion is necessary for the health of public and political life); (2) Religion Banned from the Public Landscape (in which religion is kept mostly out of public and political life); (3) Public Landscape as Religious Space (in which the health of the republic depends on a shared, civil religion); and (4) Public Landscape as Varied Topography (in which religion is not initially treated as a special case, but rather is treated like any other more or less comprehensive view that may offer a voice in public and political debate). I champion this final model and argue that the risk of allowing religion in public and political exchange is not as great as the promise of inviting it in.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1093/jaarel/lfn088

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