The challenge of pluralism : church and state in six democracies

Resource Information

The work The challenge of pluralism : church and state in six democracies represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

The challenge of pluralism : church and state in six democracies

Title remainder

church and state in six democracies

Statement of responsibility

J. Christopher Soper, Kevin R. den Dulk, and Stephen V. Monsma

Creator

• Soper, J. Christopher

Contributor

• Monsma, Stephen V., 1936-
• Dulk, Kevin R. den

Author

• Soper, J. Christopher
• Dulk, Kevin R. den

Subject

• Democracy -- Religious aspects | Christianity
• Democracy -- Religious aspects | Christianity | History -- 21st century
• Demokratie
• History
• Kirche
• Religious pluralism -- Christianity
• 2000-2099
• Religiöser Pluralismus
• Staat
• Religious pluralism -- Christianity | History -- 21st century
• Church and state
• Church and state -- History -- 21st century

Genre

• History

Language

eng

Summary

In a thoroughly revised and expanded edition that now includes France, this essential text offers a rigorous, systematic comparison of church-state relations in six Western nations: the United States, France, England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia. As successful and stable political democracies, these countries share a commitment to protecting the religious rights of their citizens. The book demonstrates, however, that each has taken substantially different approaches to resolving basic church-state questions. The authors examine both the historical roots of those differences and more recent conflicts over Islam and other religious minorities, explain how contemporary church-state issues are addressed, and provide a framework for assessing the success of each of the six states in protecting the religious rights of its citizens using a framework based on the ideal of governmental neutrality and evenhandedness toward people of all faiths and of none. Responding to the general confusion about the relationship between church and state in the West, this book offers a much-needed comparative analysis of a topic that is increasingly a source of political conflict. The authors argue that the US conception of church-state separation, with its emphasis on avoiding government establishment of religion, is unique among political democracies and discriminates against religious groups by denying religious organizations access to government services provided to other organizations. The authors persuasively conclude that the United States can learn a great deal from other Western nations in promoting religious neutrality and the free exercise of religion. --

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

322/.109051

Index

index present

LC call number

BV630.3

LC item number

.M66 2017

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography