Theological Perspectives

Extract

I was struck by a problem that I think applies to some extent to my own presentation as opposed to yours, Dr. Neuhaus. It has to do with this. You welcome the challenge to the, as you put it, intellectual nihilism of elite culture that comes from resurgent religion. I wonder, is the commitment to resurgent religion that you welcome and the kind of response that has to be given to it? Or, is it the concept to which resurgents are committed that you welcome? Because, if it is the latter, I would have a great deal of difficulty with the proposition.

Well, I would say it is primarily the former, that they are playing this role of forcing certain kinds of questions which, if they continue to be neglected, are going to lead us into even deeper trouble than we are in. I would quickly add that there are certain aspects in the content agenda of resurgency religion in American life, which I am very sympathetic to, most obviously the pro-life question, questions of educational diversity, and the empowering of parents regarding the transmission of values and education through choice, and I could go on and on. These are things that I think are probably very good and that will, in an ironic sort of way, end up revitalizing the liberal democracy which many of these people at least formerly rail against, especially the liberal part of it, and which their opponents in the world think that they are defending—for shorthand purposes one can say these opponents are the world of the ACLU-Planned Parenthood-Norman Lear's People for the American Way.