Four Dogmas or Heresies in the Discussion of Secularism and Religion
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Description
One person’s dogma is another’s heresy. So it is with any discourse of religion and even more so in the discourse of secularism and religion. So, I wish to strip any normative patina which attaches to these words. I use them simply because I want to address some of the most commonly and strongly held assumptions and positions underlying this discourse. This afterword does not set out to summarise the rich contributions to this volume nor to take direct issue with any particular one. And yet, there is no idea or proposition in this afterword which is not inspired by, or does not take issue with, at least one of these contributions and in this respect it may be seen as a veritable dialogical epilogue (even if monological in form) to the collection of essays. Blessedly, the volume does not speak with one voice and displays a rich variety not only of sensibilities but also of distinct framings, normative positions and analytical moves. It is a microcosm of the general debate which has come to the fore in our societies IN the recent one or two decades after a rather long lull when the issues seemed to be dormant. The reasons for this revival are clear enough, not least—in no order of importance—the advent of large scale immigration, the rise of the ‘identity’ issue in public sentiment, public discourse and politics and the prominent role which courts, national and transnational, have assumed in the debate. Both as cause and effect, religion has suddenly moved closer to the centre of political discourse and disputation in Europe—something relatively novel. I will proceed by addressing four interconnected themes underlying many of the discussions. Inevitably, some issues and propositions will run through all four heresies/dogmas.
Source Publication
The Problem of Religious Diversity: European Challenges, Asian Approaches
Source Editors/Authors
Anna Triandafyllidou, Tariq Modood
Publication Date
2017
Recommended Citation
Weiler, Joseph H. H., "Four Dogmas or Heresies in the Discussion of Secularism and Religion" (2017). Faculty Chapters. 1488.
https://gretchen.law.nyu.edu/fac-chapt/1488
