Fundamentalism in American religion and law : Obama's challenge to patriarchy's threat to democracy / David A.J. Richards.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Richards, David A. J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Constitutional law--United States.

Constitutional law.

Religious fundamentalism--Political aspects.

Religious fundamentalism.

Law.

United States.

Constitutional law--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Law--United States--Christian influences.

Christianity and law.

Religious fundamentalism--Political aspects--United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 313 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Other Title:

Fundamentalism in American Religion & Law

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2010.

System Details:

text file

PDF

Summary:

Why, from Reagan to George Bush, have fundamentalists in religion and in law (originalists) exercised such political power and influence in the United States? Why has the Republican Party forged an ideology of judicial appointments (originalism) hostile to abortion and gay rights? Why and how did Barack Obama distinguish himself among Democratic candidates not only by his opposition to the Iraq war but by his opposition to originalism? This book argues that fundamentalism in both religion and law threatens democratic values and draws its appeal from a patriarchal psychology still alive in our personal and political lives and at threat from the constitutional developments since the 1960s. The argument analyzes this psychology (based on traumatic loss in intimate life) and resistance to it (based on the love of equals). Obama's resistance to originalism arises from his developmental history as a democratic, as opposed to patriarchal, man who resists the patriarchal demands on men and women that originalism enforces - in particular, the patriarchal love laws that tell people who and how and how much they may love.

Contents:

Introduction : defining the problem

The progressive recognition of human rights under American constitutional law

The fundamentalism of constitutional originalism

The motivations of constitutional fundamentalism

Fundamentalism in Roman Catholicism

Fundamentalism among Protestants

Mormon fundamentalism

Patriarchal roots of constitutional fundamentalism

Fundamentalism in religion and law : a critical overview

Conclusion : patriarchy as the American dilemma : facing the problem of fundamentalism at home and abroad.

Notes:

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

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9780511676031

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.