Beyond Secular Liberalism and Religious Traditionalism: Revisiting Jeffrey Stout’s Democracy and Tradition

Dear Colleagues,

Given the particular role of philosophy and theology intertwined in the history of democratic movements in the US (e.g., Abolitionism, Civil Rights), Jeffrey Stout argued that without the support of religious institutions, it would be difficult to counteract antidemocratic forces again. That was an argument made nearly two decades ago in his major work Democracy and Tradition, in which Stout attempted to chart a path beyond what he called secular liberalism (e.g., Rawls, Rorty) and religious traditionalism (e.g., MacIntyre, Hauerwas). Since then, a wide range of religious engagements has had significant public impact, from various academic discourses about postmodernism, post-liberalism, and post-secularism to contentious political debates for or against particular candidates and policies. The political impact of religion becomes even more pronounced if we consider non-American contexts such as Brexit in the UK, feminist protests in Iran, or evangelicalism in Brazil.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to examine the interaction between philosophy and theology over the last two decades by revisiting Stout’s argument about the role of religion in democratic movements. In addition to expanding the scope beyond the US, submissions from established and, especially, emerging scholars, who Stout explicitly states were his intended targeted audience, are welcome. Contributions can be in response to, but not necessarily limited by, the following questions:

• Since publication, how has Stout’s book impacted discourses about secularism and religion in the US?
• What philosophical and theological responses have there been to Stout’s version of religious pragmatism?
• Are there any significant examples of the religious Left as an alternative to the dominance of the religious Right in politics?
• What other examples have there been in the last two decades of public religious engagement beyond secular liberalism and religious traditionalism?
• How might religious or theological versions of postmodern critical theories complicate the dichotomy between secular liberalism and religious traditionalism?
• Are postliberal and/or postsecular arguments necessarily aligned with conservative theologies and politics?
• What are the limits to and/or potential for religion in democratic movements in the US and abroad?
• How is the role of religion in democratic movements in other contexts similar to or different from the US?

Dr. Tae Sung
Guest Editor

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• Jeffrey Stout
• pragmatism
• post-liberalism
• post-secularism
• democracy
• critical theory