Can Religion Tolerate Democracy? (And Vice Versa?)
Can Religion Tolerate Democracy? (And Vice Versa?)
This chapter examines the relationship between religion and democracy. It argues that the separation of church and state is not a principle. It is not a rule of constitutional law. It is not an abstract theory of an ideal relationship and is, emphatically, not the precious invention of the wise founders of the republic. It is, for lack of a better way to put the matter, a contract...or, to use what might be a better metaphor—a peace treaty. It is an American solution, deeply Protestant in character, linked to our history, and thus not necessarily an approach that would appeal to another culture with a history of its own.
Keywords: religion, democracy, separation of church and state, peace treaty
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