Religion in the Public Space
The Hartman Institute Blog has posted a video of the lecture “Role of Religion in the Public Space, Israeli and American Perspectives.” The two lecturers are William Galston (American perspective) and Ruth Gavison (Israeli perspective). I am listening to it now and so far it is very interesting to listen to these two different perspectives. Two very good blogs which discusse Religion-State issues are Religion Clause and for issues relating to Israel, Religion and State in Israel.
Some of the topics discussed are similar to what I am reading in a book which I just took out from the library, Gary Wills’s Head and Heart: American Christianities
Disestablishment is the process of divesting a church of its status as an organ of the state.
Wills feels that the concept of disestablishment “is the only original part of the Constitution” and claims that it is disestablishment that has allowed for the flourishing of religion and religious denominations in America.
For a scholarly treatment of religion in the modern world, José Casanova’s Public Religions in the Modern World has been very influential. Casanova has argued against the theory that increasing modernization must also result in increasing secularization. See this interview with him for an introduction to his approach. Some of his writing can be found here and here.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Thanks Michael for the Hat Tip for Religion and State in Israel. I wonder how one would say “antidisestablishmentarianism” in Hebrew!
Joel
July 9th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
It seems to me that if Israel does not seperate religion from the state I fear that either Judaism will die in Israel, or that Isreal as a modern, Western, democratic country will be in serious danger. I know many people, especially Menchen Mendel, think I am exagerating. But all the signs point to a very serious crisis. Harry
July 10th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Harry,
As we’ve passionately argued about this topic before, I will repeat my belief that Judaism is flourishing in Israel despite the politicization of religion. Orthodoxy is much more diverse than many would admit and non-Orthodox forms of Judaism are flourishing, it just often has nothing to do with the Reform and Conservative movements in Israel so American Jews think that there are no alternatives available. Jewish expression is different in Israel and it is wrong to thing that denominationalism will take root in Israel the way that it has in America. Judaism would be much better off with some form, although not necessarily what we have in America, of disestablishment, yet we should not ignore what is happening already. Israel has many independent prayer, study, and communal groups that are growing all of the time. Beit Tefillah in Tel Aviv is one such example. Again, things could be much better, but there is no need to paint nightmarish scenarios.