Publication Date
2006
Abstract
America's current debate about religion's role in politics offers a false choice. On one side is the politicized Christian right.' This group, loosely defined, consists of those political groups and leaders who associate themselves with traditional conservative ideas on culture and claim to represent fundamentalist or evangelical Christians. This group has been by far the most vocal advocate of the position that religion deserves an increased role in our nation's policy making. Indeed, it has come to dominate that position. The response to the Christian right has come almost exclusively from the secular left. It argues not with the Christian right's theology but with the premise that religion should be evoked at all in our public debate. This polarization is harmful, and a genuine debate among Christians and among the rest of society would be a much healthier alternative for our country's political dialogue and lawmaking process. Currently, the religious right has a monopoly on religious arguments in the political and legal arena. The left and center basically default on most overtly "religious issues" and then refuse to use religious arguments to support their own policies. A Christian response to the Christian right and explicit Christian arguments on a variety of other issues would generate healthier and more genuine debate both on religion and politics and on morality and law.
Recommended Citation
Carter, Jason
(2006)
"Toward a Genuine Debate About Morals, Religion, Politics, and Law: Why America Needs a Christian Response to the "Christian" Right,"
Georgia Law Review: Vol. 41:
No.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/glr/vol41/iss1/4