Religion and the obligations of citizenship / Paul J. Weithman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Weithman, Paul J., 1959- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Religion and politics.

Citizenship--Moral and ethical aspects.

Citizenship.

Citizenship--Religious aspects.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 227 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Religion & the Obligations of Citizenship

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Summary:

In Religion and the Obligations of Citizenship Paul J. Weithman asks whether citizens in a liberal democracy may base their votes and their public political arguments on their religious beliefs. Drawing on empirical studies of how religion actually functions in politics, he challenges the standard view that citizens who rely on religious reasons must be prepared to make good their arguments by appealing to reasons that are 'accessible' to others. He contends that churches contribute to democracy by enriching political debate and by facilitating political participation, especially among the poor and minorities, and as a consequence, citizens acquire religiously based political views and diverse views of their own citizenship. He concludes that the philosophical view which most defensibly accommodates this diversity is one that allows ordinary citizens to draw on the views their churches have formed when voting and offering public arguments for their political positions.

Contents:

Participation, full participation and realized citizenship

Religion's role in promoting democracy

Conceptions of the democratic citizen

Public argument

Principles

Robert Audi on secular reasons

John Rawls on public reason.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 218-223) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-13167-7

1-280-43048-6

0-511-17758-5

0-511-04197-7

0-511-14799-6

0-511-33016-2

0-511-48745-2

0-511-04470-4

OCLC:

475916876