Religion, Federalism, and the Struggle for Public Life : Cases From Germany, India, and America

In the past decade, the struggle for new forms of federal order and public life has exploded in central Europe, the former Soviet Union, and South Africa. Religious traditions and organizations have played a crucial role in these revolutions, and have also been critical to the establishment of constitutional orders in post-colonial countries like India. Moreover, they continue to undergird and to challenge the understanding of public life in the United States, whether in church-state conflicts or Native American religious claims. William Everett examines the role of religious traditions in the development of modern federal republicanism, seeking answers to such questions as: How have patterns of religious organization shaped federal republican orders? How do different cultures weave together these political and religious threads into a living fabric that fits their own cultural heritage? How are Western religious traditions of covenant and conciliarism relevant for understanding religion and constitutional developments in non-Western cultures? The author argues that a better comparative grasp of these dynamics is essential to our understanding of the establishment, sustenance, and development of federal republican governance. He presents, as a first step toward this goal, a detailed and comparative study of these patterns in India, Germany, and the United States. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Preface 8 Acknowledgments 12 Contents 14 Introduction 18 The Religious Cradle of Federal Republicanism 20 The Frame of Inquiry 22 The Plan of the Book 23 ONE: Envisioning the Engagement 25 Religion and Federal Republicanism 26 The Concept of Covenantal Publicity 35 Religion and Political Order in Sociological Perspective 37 Summary 41 TWO: The Churches and Germany's "Peaceful Revolution" of 1989–90 43 Key Historical Considerations 43 The Church in the Revolution of 1989–90 50 Key Issues in the German Experience 68 Trust and Reconciliation in a Covenantal Public 74 Covenantal Publicity and the Partial Revolution 76 THREE: Religious Organization and Constitutional Justice in India 78 The Ancient Matrix of Religion and Governance 79 The "Historic" Religions: Islam and Christianity 84 The Drive for Independence and Constitutional Order 89 The Federal Constitution of 1950 92 Redressing Past Inequities: Compensatory Discrimination and Soosai the Cobbler 94 From Religious Tutelage to a Common Civil Code: The Case of Shah Bano 101 Ecclesiology and Constitutional Order: The United Basel Mission Church Case 107 Critical Issues in India's Struggle for Covenantal Publicity 114 FOUR: Sacred Lands and Religious Assemblies in America 120 The Molding of the American Experience 121 Summary 132 Methodism and the Quandaries of Republican Federation: The Pacific Homes Case 133 Sacred Lands and Native Peoples in Federal Contestation 149 FIVE: Assessing the Engagement, Evaluating the Inquiry 164 The Critical Role of Ecclesiology 166 Ecclesiology and the Federal-Republican Struggle 168 Roles of Religion in the Federal-Republican Project 176 Religion, Reconciliation, and the Republican Struggle 179 The Concept of Covenantal Publicity: An Evaluation 182 An Afterword 184 Notes 186 Index 212 A 212 B 212 C 213 D 214 E 215 F 215 G 216 H 216 I 217 J 217 K 217 L 217 M 218 N 218 O 219 P 219 Q 219 R 219 S 220 T 220 U 221 V 221 W 221 Z 221 Author William Everett Examines The Role Of Religious Traditions In The Development Of Modern Federal Republicanism, Seeking Answers To Such Questions As: How Have Patterns Of Religious Organization Shaped Federal Republican Orders? How Do Different Cultures Weave Together These Political And Religious Threads Into A Living Fabric That Fits Their Own Cultural Heritage? How Are Western Religious Traditions Of Covenant And Conciliarism Relevant For Understanding Religion And Constitutional Developments In Non-western Cultures? The Author Argues That A Better Comparative Grasp Of These Dynamics Is Essential To Our Understanding Of The Establishment, Sustenance, And Development Of Federal Republican Governance. He Presents, As A First Step Toward This Goal, A Detailed And Comparative Study Of These Patterns In India, Germany, And The United States. William Johnson Everett. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 171-196) And Index.