The Public Role of Religion and the Response of Public Theology

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This article's chief value lies in its readable and relatively breezy survey of post-secularizaton theorizing over the past 30 years, and in its survey of contemporary statements defining "public theology" and relating this to notions of the "common good." 

It is important to note that both of these contributions are "survey" in nature, and the piece often reads like a (well-written) literature review, centered on various themes related to post-secularization and public theology.

Because of this, it would be good for the piece to re-stage itself as a "review article" and maybe even use frame its contribution as a "dialogical survey" or something similar.

Alternatively, if the author believes that they are making some kind of constructive contribution or advancement to ongoing discourse, the following would need to be taken into consideration (both points below are interrelated):

SOURCING

The most-current piece of scholarship that is cited across they survey-like sections is Volf's 2016 public theology manifesto. This is a good book, and all the rest of the material is good/pertinent as well, but only insofar as one is surveying the history of a thing and its more grand statements. Religion as a public reality is still being massively debated, year over year, and post-secularization is hardly a settled concept at the moment, especially since the "reemergence" of religion features at least three salient dimensions have immediate and ongoing impact

Psychology: Neurobiology of Religious Experience. See e.g. The Neurology of Religion (Cambridge, 2019).

Politics: Authoritarianism and Religious Identity. For the American situation in particular see, Alberta, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory (2023). See also Religion and Nationalism in Global Perspective (Cambridge, 2018).

Sociology and new forms of spirituality. See especially Burton's Strange Rites (2022).

ARGUMENTATION

Taking its current literature into account alongside the literature indicated above would allow especially the final section of this piece to make constructive arguments regarding the opportunities (and pitfalls) of modern public theology.

Author Response

Response to review1.                                                          

I really appreciate your review. I was short on time, but I have responded to your comments as follows. Again, thank you very much.

1. The most-current piece of scholarship that is cited across they survey-like sections is Volf's 2016 public theology manifesto.

Yes. As you point out, I was referring to Miroslav Volf's 2016 book, Public Faith in Action.

As Wolf argues, the Christian faith is a public faith. A life filled with the Spirit of Christ is one that is committed to the flourishing of all humanity and creation, and to living the abundant life that Jesus brings(Volf & McAnnally-Linz 2016, pp. 12-13).

2. Religion as a public reality is still being massively debated, year over year, and post-secularization is hardly a settled concept at the moment, especially since the "reemergence" of religion features at least three salient dimensions have immediate and ongoing impact.

Acknowledging your comment, I mentioned situations where secularization and post-secularization may proceed differently.

Of course, the phenomena of secularization and post-secularization manifest differently in non-Western societies, necessitating nuanced examinations within academic discourses. In contexts such as communist countries, where official recognition of religion is absent, the state often assumes a quasi-religious role, imbued with symbols and rituals that evoke quasi-sacred sentiments among the populace. This phenomenon reflects a form of state worship, wherein political ideologies and leaders are venerated akin to religious figures. Conversely, in many third-world countries, indigenous religions play a significant role in shaping political structures and guiding societal norms. Here, the intertwining of indigenous religious beliefs and practices with political governance underscores the complex interplay between spirituality and power dynamics. Such contexts challenge conventional Western notions of secularization, highlighting the persistence of religious influence in shaping social and political landscapes. In Islamic or Hindu countries, religion and politics have not historically been separated. In countries that have never experienced secularization, this discussion may seem irrelevant. But if we expect a healthy role for public religion, we need to rethink the debate in post-secular discourses.

Peter Berger argues that secularisation is not simply a decline in religion or a loss of influence, as is often the case in the West, but comes in many different forms. The term modernisation is a Western-centric concept. In Asia, especially in Japan and the Middle East, modernisation has occurred in close relationship with religion, and in many cases, different religious backgrounds have positively influenced technology and economic development (Peter Berger 2014, pp. 68-72).

2-1. Psychology: Neurobiology of Religious Experience. See e.g. The Neurology of Religion (Cambridge, 2019).

I reviewed the book you suggested, but it was a little different from my argument, so I supplemented it with Charles Taylor's article.

Charles Taylor argues that Western societies have lost transcendence in the process of secularization and have constructed an "immanent frame" that centers human reason within the natural order. In secular societies, humans have lost sight of the final goal and live for their own prosperity, but Taylor argues that worship of God is the ultimate goal and that it is through this that transcendence can be brought to earth. Through the recovery of transcendence, religion can rediscover the good values and meanings that modern society has lost (Taylor 2007, 99. 15-18).

2-2. Politics: Authoritarianism and Religious Identity. For the American situation in particular see, Alberta, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory (2023). See also Religion and Nationalism in Global Perspective (Cambridge, 2018).

Thank you. I have reviewed the books you recommended and found that there is a wide range of opinions and concerns about secularisation. I can't cite all of them, and I will use some of them to compensate for the weaknesses in my article.

Also, the resurgence of religion does not necessarily lead to healthy civic engagement. In his book, Tim Alberta considers how evangelicalism can embrace them in the face of religious extremism in the United States. In the context of post-secularisation, white evangelicalism in the US, combined with nationalism, has taken on a form that is close to the extreme right. In a context where religion needs to play a healthy role, the politicisation of religion only leads to a false idolatry of the state (Tim Alberta 2023).

2-3. Sociology and new forms of spirituality. See especially Burton's Strange Rites (2022).

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

1) «This study aims to propose public roles for the church and theology in post-secular societies.»

- Is the aim of this paper to present recommendations to churches to better exercise public theology? I don't think this is the place for a scientific article.

- A better justification is needed for revisiting and choosing a topic that is almost a decade and a half old (the fact that no more recent bibliography is cited and that no look is made at more recent and even potentially negative expressions of this phenomenon - e.g. religious populism - greatly limits its scope).

2) Introduction

- It is a longer repetition of the abstract, and should be much more than that. It must explain, at the very least, the methodology that will be employed and what research tools will be used to develop the author's argument.

- The object of study must be problematized. The paper can't just be a unilinear and univocal narrative about the benefits of public theology (this would be similar to what happened with the grand narratives of secularization).

3. Secularization and Post-Secularization

- The author should also mention the criticisms of the use of the term 'post-secularisation' secularisation, like religion, does not disappear, it has its ups and downs, which are typical of modern Western societies).

It is necessary to mention at least one of Peter Berger's latest works (The Many Altars of Modernity, 2014)

- There is a very apologetic narrative across this paper on the role of religion in modern (post-secular) societies. I suggest a more impartial tone, befitting a scientific publication.

4. Public Theology's Response

- The only original part of the paper, after the systematization of the literature review, has only one page when it should be the most developed part of the work.

- «Christians are engaging in solidarity and dialogue as members of society and addressing common issues together». Categorical ideas like this should have some basis of support that goes beyond the theoretical dimension - an up-to-date look at these contemporary ideas that goes beyond Martin Luther King or Gandhi.

- This paper at least needs to clarify that the methodology is purely theoretical, although it needs more support in some of its basic arguments.

5. Bibliography

- It is out of date. There is only one reference less than 10 years old.

- Furthermore, you have to quote Charles Taylor, A Secular Age, 2007.

Author Response

Response to Review2

I really appreciate your review. I was short on time, but I have responded to your comments as follows. Again, thank you very much.

1) «This study aims to propose public roles for the church and theology in post-secular societies.»

- Is the aim of this paper to present recommendations to churches to better exercise public theology? I don't think this is the place for a scientific article.

I agree with your concerns and have made the purpose of this article more explicit.

This article examines the role of the church and theology in a post-secular society from the perspective of public theology. From a Christian perspective, public theology has aimed to analyze religion, society, and politics in a contemporary context and to shape a better society through public dialogue.

- A better justification is needed for revisiting and choosing a topic that is almost a decade and a half old (the fact that no more recent bibliography is cited and that no look is made at more recent and even potentially negative expressions of this phenomenon - e.g. religious populism - greatly limits its scope).

As you can see in the references, I've supplemented it with more recent material.

Berger, Peter. 2014. The Many Altars of Modernity, Boston: De Gruyter

Graham, Elaine, 2017. Apologetics without Apology: Speaking of God in a World Troubled by Religion. Eugene: Wipf & Stock Publishers.

Okesson, Gregg. 2020. A Public Missiology: How Local Churches Witness to a Complex World.

Volf, Miroslav. Croasmun, Mattew. 2019. For the Life of the World. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press.

Root, Andrew. 2021. The Congregation in a Secular Age. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Volf, Miroslav. McAnnally-Linz, Ryan. 2016. Public Faith in Action. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press.

2) Introduction

- It is a longer repetition of the abstract, and should be much more than that. It must explain, at the very least, the methodology that will be employed and what research tools will be used to develop the author's argument.

Agreeing with your review, I've lengthened the introduction a bit, explaining why we need public theology and what the public theology methodology is.

…

Indeed, public theology is not the only theological approach seeking to grapple with the challenges presented by secularization and post-secularization. Radical Orthodoxy emerges as a distinctive theological methodology in this discourse, offering a nuanced response characterized by its emphasis on liturgy and a reevaluation of pre-modern Christian tradition. When confronting secularization, Radical Orthodoxy prioritizes the retrieval of transcendence and the sacred within public discourse and societal structures.

…

It uses a public theological perspective to examine the role of church and theology in a post-secular society. Within this framework, public theology serves as a methodological tool for analysing the evolving dynamics of religion, society and politics in contemporary contexts.

- The object of study must be problematized. The paper can't just be a unilinear and univocal narrative about the benefits of public theology (this would be similar to what happened with the grand narratives of secularization).

I agree with your review, which is why I added that there is another theological methodology (Radical Orthodoxy) that responds to secularization and post-secularization besides the Public Theology methodology.

Of course, public theology is not the sole theological approach endeavoring to engage with the challenges posed by secularization and post-secularization. Radical Orthodoxy emerges as a distinctive theological methodology in this discourse, offering a nuanced response characterized by its emphasis on liturgy and a reevaluation of pre-modern Christian tradition. In confronting secularization, Radical Orthodoxy prioritizes the retrieval of transcendence and the sacred within public discourse and societal structures.

3. Secularization and Post-Secularization

- The author should also mention the criticisms of the use of the term 'post-secularisation' secularisation, like religion, does not disappear, it has its ups and downs, which are typical of modern Western societies).

In accepting your point, I have defined post-secularization as follows.

Post-secularization is a phenomenon in Western societies where religious beliefs and practices are visibly re-emerging in the public sphere (Elain Graham 2013, p. 46).

It is necessary to mention at least one of Peter Berger's latest works (The Many Altars of Modernity, 2014)

I fully accept your comments and have made the following additions.

Peter Berger argues that secularisation is not simply a decline in religion or a loss of influence, as is often the case in the West, but comes in many different forms. The term modernisation is a Western-centric concept. In Asia, especially in Japan and the Middle East, modernisation has occurred in close relationship with religion, and in many cases, different religious backgrounds have positively influenced technology and economic development (Peter Berger 2014, pp. 68-72).

- There is a very apologetic narrative across this paper on the role of religion in modern (post-secular) societies. I suggest a more impartial tone, befitting a scientific publication.

I agree with your point, which is why I tried to come up with a balanced understanding of post secularization.

Of course, the public return of religion in post-secular societies can be misunderstood as a repeat of Christendom, as it was in the Middle Ages. But after secularization, religion is no longer magical or superstitious. As Habermas argued, it is a religion that is capable of rational communication in the public sphere, and one that can communicate rationally with secular reason (Jürgen Habermas 2011, 23).

4. Public Theology's Response

- The only original part of the paper, after the systematization of the literature review, has only one page when it should be the most developed part of the work.

I agree with your point, and have supplemented the relevant material.

The Christian's public responsibility is to live in God's presence with all in the fullness of the life he offers. The kingdom of God is the dwelling place of all life, and God rules over it as he created the world. Because life in the fullness of the world is both God's creative providence and Christ's work of salvation, theology must continue to engage in public discourse about flourishing life (Volf & Croasmun 2019, pp. 79-83).

…

Gregg Okesson argues that churches should witness to the gospel by engaging in the "thickness of the public realm" of which they are a part. He proposes a public engagement with the gospel that is based on a thick identity as a church that takes into account the various contexts and elements of the public realm in which the gospel is communicated, like Clifford Geertz's thick description, rather than a piecemeal presentation of the gospel or social engagement.

- «Christians are engaging in solidarity and dialogue as members of society and addressing common issues together». Categorical ideas like this should have some basis of support that goes beyond the theoretical dimension - an up-to-date look at these contemporary ideas that goes beyond Martin Luther King or Gandhi.

I agree with your point, and have added a specific example.

As José Casanova noted, in the political anomie that followed the fall of the Soviet Union, the Orthodox and Catholic churches of Eastern Europe provided social stability and served as emotional pillars for their citizens.(Jose Casanova 1994).

- This paper at least needs to clarify that the methodology is purely theoretical, although it needs more support in some of its basic arguments.

I agree with your comment, and here is a short introduction to the Public Theology methodology.

Public theology takes the methodology of public conversation. In the public arena, through rational communication with various publics, it addresses public issues through interdisciplinary research and proposes the church's participation and action. Thus, the methodology of public theology is both dialogical and engaged.

5. Bibliography

- It is out of date. There is only one reference less than 10 years old.

I agreed with your review and added material that is less than 10 years old.

Graham, Elaine, 2017. Apologetics without Apology: Speaking of God in a World Troubled by Religion. Eugene: Wipf & Stock Publishers.

Okesson, Gregg. 2020. A Public Missiology: How Local Churches Witness to a Complex World.

Volf, Miroslav. Croasmun, Mattew. 2019. For the Life of the World. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press.

Root, Andrew. 2021. The Congregation in a Secular Age. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Volf, Miroslav. McAnnally-Linz, Ryan. 2016. Public Faith in Action. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press.

- Furthermore, you have to quote Charles Taylor, A Secular Age, 2007.

In response to your point, I've added a quote from Charles Taylor. 

Charles Taylor argues that Western societies have lost transcendence in the process of secularization and have constructed an "immanent frame" that centers human reason within the natural order. In secular societies, humans have lost sight of the final goal and live for their own prosperity, but Taylor argues that worship of God is the ultimate goal and that it is through this that transcendence can be brought to earth. Through the recovery of transcendence, religion can rediscover the good values and meanings that modern society has lost(Taylor 2007, 99. 15-18).

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The article has been greatly improved using many of the suggestions made previously. I think it's a stronger, more solid article at the moment. All that remains is for the author to place the citations in the text (the references to the authors) following the journal's guidelines.

Author Response

Yes. Thank you for your kind words. I've placed each quote appropriately in the text, and I've added a bibliography. Thank you for your positive feedback on my article.