Is This God's Country?

Can religion coexist in harmony with the American ideal of separation of church and state? Philosopher Robert Audi here explores this perennial and topical question. The notion of a religion is complex and elastic; the notion of democracy is complex and contested. Audi explores both notions in the context of American founding documents, American ideals of religious liberty and social justice, and contemporary American social problems in public education, business, and healthcare--all of which are beset by the culture wars--from perceived hostility to religion in schools, to vaccine resistance, to refusals to provide religiously objectionable services, to abortion. Is This God's Country? reflects Audi's decades of work on religion and politics, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He accessibly explains why America separates church and state, how this can benefit both religious and secular citizens, why there is nevertheless controversy about what this means, and how opposed religious and secular people can peaceably resolve their differences. With the generous use of examples, Audi proposes standards for discussing and resolving those differences in education, business, and medical care. His final chapter addresses the question whether, within those standards, America can be Christian--or religious at all--in a way that integrates religious liberty with democratic law-making and expands the common ground we need to overcome the cultural fragmentation that besets America.

Robert Audi is John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at University of Notre Dame. He is internationally known for ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of action.

Preface and acknowledgments Introduction: The Challenge to America: Now and Into the Future Part One: Religion and Democracy: Can Church and State Be Separated in a Nation Founded on Religious Ideals? 1. Why Think America is God's Country? 2. What Is a Religion? 3. Religion as an Engine of Law-Making 4. Ethics and Democracy: Why Should a Religious Nation Tolerate Irreligion? Part Two: Religion and Politics in Everyday Life 5. Public Education: Why Shouldn't Public Education 6. Religion, Democracy, and Economic Liberty: 7. Healthcare in America: Why Should Government Be Part Three: The Ethics of Citizenship 8. The Civic Responsibilities of Citizens: 9. Can We Integrate Morality, Politics, and Religion? 10. Civil Discourse as a Challenge for Citizens and Government 11. Can America Be Christian?