God in Public: Four Ways American Christianity and Public Life Relate
Mark Toulouse’s God in Public, (WJK Press, 2006), which carries the recommendation of Martin Marty in a foreword, is a groundbreaking study of the role religion plays in public life. It focuses on the past half century of American history, a period in which America went from a more or less religiously homogeneous nation, at least on the surface, to one that is increasingly diverse.
Beginning with an important overview of the constitutional issues involved in any conversation about religion and public life, the focus of the book is on four styles of public interaction: Iconic Faith, Priestly Faith, the Public Christian, and the Public Church.
Iconic and Priestly Faith are expressions of a civil religion that often confuse and fuse religious and public ideologies and symbols. Whether serving religious or state interests, both styles undermine the integrity of the state and of the various religious entities within the nation. In addition, both styles leave little room for a full expression of America’s religious diversity – consider the claims that we are either a Christian nation or a Judeo-Christian nation. If true, where does that leave the significant minority of Americans who either do not profess any faith or profess a faith tradition outside the Jewish and the Christian traditions?
If these two styles are unacceptable and unless we assume that religion is completely private, then the question remains – how might a Christian interact within the public square? The two possible options outlined in this book are the Public Christian and the Public Church.
The first style, the Public Christian, has a long pedigree. It has roots in Augustine’s “two cities” and Luther’s “two kingdoms.” Both perspectives view church and public life as separate entities, one spiritual and the other earthly, that are ultimately unrelated. Christians may engage in public life as individuals, but the church is called to focus on spiritual matters. Social transformation is not within the purview of the church, though, though the Christian’s interaction is formed by his or her faith professions.
The second style is one that Toulouse himself finds more promising than the Public Christian. The Public Church model finds roots in Calvin’s belief that all human life stands under the Kingdom of God and Ritschl’s “Ethical Imperative.” It undergirded the Social Gospel and Civil Rights Movements. It is the style of a Walter Rauschenbusch and a Martin Luther King, both of whom called on the church to prophetically engage the public square.
The danger for the advocates of the Public Church perspective is the temptation to fall into the trap of the “Priestly Faith.” The postmodern context, however, provides the kind of buffer needed so that the advocates of social change understand that we live in a pluralistic environment. There are, therefore, limits to the church’s voice. It speaks not as part of the establishment, but as a prophetic challenge to the establishment. Recognition that this is one voice among several encourages humility.
This is a must read book. It helps the reader understand the issues facing Americans today and it gives a needed set of guidelines for fruitful engagement by the church in American public life.
[This review can also be found at Amazon.com]
Beginning with an important overview of the constitutional issues involved in any conversation about religion and public life, the focus of the book is on four styles of public interaction: Iconic Faith, Priestly Faith, the Public Christian, and the Public Church.
Iconic and Priestly Faith are expressions of a civil religion that often confuse and fuse religious and public ideologies and symbols. Whether serving religious or state interests, both styles undermine the integrity of the state and of the various religious entities within the nation. In addition, both styles leave little room for a full expression of America’s religious diversity – consider the claims that we are either a Christian nation or a Judeo-Christian nation. If true, where does that leave the significant minority of Americans who either do not profess any faith or profess a faith tradition outside the Jewish and the Christian traditions?
If these two styles are unacceptable and unless we assume that religion is completely private, then the question remains – how might a Christian interact within the public square? The two possible options outlined in this book are the Public Christian and the Public Church.
The first style, the Public Christian, has a long pedigree. It has roots in Augustine’s “two cities” and Luther’s “two kingdoms.” Both perspectives view church and public life as separate entities, one spiritual and the other earthly, that are ultimately unrelated. Christians may engage in public life as individuals, but the church is called to focus on spiritual matters. Social transformation is not within the purview of the church, though, though the Christian’s interaction is formed by his or her faith professions.
The second style is one that Toulouse himself finds more promising than the Public Christian. The Public Church model finds roots in Calvin’s belief that all human life stands under the Kingdom of God and Ritschl’s “Ethical Imperative.” It undergirded the Social Gospel and Civil Rights Movements. It is the style of a Walter Rauschenbusch and a Martin Luther King, both of whom called on the church to prophetically engage the public square.
The danger for the advocates of the Public Church perspective is the temptation to fall into the trap of the “Priestly Faith.” The postmodern context, however, provides the kind of buffer needed so that the advocates of social change understand that we live in a pluralistic environment. There are, therefore, limits to the church’s voice. It speaks not as part of the establishment, but as a prophetic challenge to the establishment. Recognition that this is one voice among several encourages humility.
This is a must read book. It helps the reader understand the issues facing Americans today and it gives a needed set of guidelines for fruitful engagement by the church in American public life.
[This review can also be found at Amazon.com]
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