Research On Religion » Christianity

Davis Brown on Religion, Initiating War, and Data

tonygill — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 08:00:48 +0000

Does the religious composition of a nation and its leaders have an impact on whether a country will initiate a war? Prof. Davis Brown, a research fellow at Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion and visiting assistant professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, uses new data to show that the answer is yes. The political science sub-field of international relations (IR) has long ignored religion as a factor explaining the occurrence of recent wars. Prof. Brown reviews why this might be the case, and also takes us on a brief tour of the different schools of thought that operate within IR, including realism and constructivism. We then talk about the construction of a brand new data set that categorizes different countries at different times according to the government’s religious preference. Davis was (and still is) instrumental in building this data set that initially examines governments on five dimensions: official favoritism of/hostility towards religion; support for religious education; financial support to religious institutions; regulatory burdens on religious groups; and the free exercise of religion. We discuss what a massive undertaking this data collection and coding is, and why such efforts should be appreciated to the social sciences writ large. Davis admits to not listening to Led Zeppelin while doing this work (though Tony would have the volume cranked up). Prof. Brown then reveals the results of a series of logistic regressions he conducted and published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. He finds that since 1946, the more Christian a nation is, the less likely it is to initiate an international conflict. Islam, on the other hand, shows the opposite trend, with more Islamic nations being more likely to start a war. No effect was found on countries that have a Buddhist influence. We discuss Davis’s ideas about a “religious war ethic” and how this would filter its way into foreign policy decisions. He talks about just war ethics versus pacifism and notes the importance of doing case study research to find the specific causal links, though case study work is inherently difficult where much of the effect religious ethics may play is subconscious. He offers up some possibilities related to Anwar Sadat in the 1970s and George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s. We finish with some of the interesting revelations Prof. Brown experienced throughout the course of his studies and data coding, including his greater understanding of Islam and the discovery of a Buddhist war ethic. Recorded: March 11, 2017.

“The Influence of Religion on Interstate Armed Conflict,” by Davis Brown at the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (may need subscription)

The Sword, The Cross, and the Eagle: The American Christian Just War Tradition, by Davis Brown.

Religious Characteristics of States data set at The Association for Religious Data Archives (The ARDA).

Government Religious Preferences data set (coming soon).

The Revenge of God: The Resurgence of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in the Modern World, by Gilles Kepel (mentioned in interview).

RELATED PODCASTS

Davis Brown on Just War Theory.

Monica Toft on Religion, Terrorism, and Civil War.

Ron Mock on Pacifism, War, and Terrorism.

Religious Liberty and Violent Extremism: A Panel Discussion.

Ron Hassner on Religion on the Battlefield.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty, and Foreign Policy.

Is Religious Freedom Good for Growth? A Panel Discussion

tonygill — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 09:00:40 +0000

Can religious freedom promote economic growth in the long- and/or short-term? This was the general question posed to a number of scholars on November 15, 2016 at a symposium entitled “Religious Freedom and the Common Good” hosted by the Religious Freedom Project at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs (Georgetown University). Wow! That’s a mouthful! Brian Grim (Religious Freedom & Business Foundation) moderates a conversation with Ilan Alon (University of Agder), Timur Kuran (Duke University), Rachel McCleary (Harvard University and Hoover Institution), and your own lovable host Anthony Gill (University of Washington). The discussion that develops is broad-ranging, covering countries as far-flung as Guatemala and China, and eras from the Ottoman Empire to contemporary Russia. Anthony Gill asserts that religious liberty is good for long-term economic growth, citing an example from the Netherlands in the 17th century, but also cautions that efforts to impose religious freedom from the top-down can cause conflict in the short-run, and that a strong culture of tolerance is needed for religious freedom and economic freedom to work conjointly. Timur Kuran shares these views noting that many skilled entrepreneurs leave places such as Pakistan in the search for more spiritually free environments and this harms their growth potential (while benefiting those countries where migrants move t0). At various points throughout the conversation he uses examples from the Ottoman Empire and contemporary Turkey to show how laws on religious behavior and towards religious minorities can have important economic impacts. Rachel McCleary offers a competing view noting an important difference between “believing” and “belonging.” Whereas certain religious beliefs may be conducive to economic growth, she notes that religious institutions either have no or a negative effect on economic growth and reducing political corruption. She cites her extensive research in Guatemala to support this claim. Ilan Alon sees both positive and negative effects on economic growth created by religious freedom and brings his experience in China and Norway to bear on this topic. Brian Grim peppers the discussion with a number of his own observations how particular companies such as the Kellogg Corporation have promoted religious freedom at various points in time. It is also noted that the Quakers were great at making chocolate and founded Cadbury. Near the end of the panel discussion, Anthony Gill makes a controversial point that bourbon is better than scotch as the participants field a number of questions from audience members. Recorded: November 15, 2016.

RELATED LINKS

Video presentation of the panel at the Religious Freedom Project (Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs).

Religious Freedom and the Common Good Symposium webpage.

Coming soon: Religious Freedom Institute. (The same project, but now in institutional form!)

Brian Grim’s bio at the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.

Ilan Alon’s bio at the University of Agder.

Timur Kuran’s bio at Duke University.

Rachel McCleary’s bio at the Hoover Institution.

Anthony Gill’s bio at the University of Washington.

Explanation of bourbon vs scotch and definitive proof of which one is better.

RELATED PODCASTS

Religious Liberty & Economic Prosperity: A Panel Discussion.

Proselytism, Social Stability, and Development: A Panel Discussion.

Religious Freedom & Political Flourishing: A Panel Discussion.

Proselytism, Humanitarianism, and Development: A Panel Discussion.

Brian Grim on Religious Freedom & Business.

Timur Kuran on Islamic Law and Economic Development.

Timur Kuran on Islamic Economics.

Rebecca Shah on Religion and the Enterprising Poor in India.

Allen Hertzke on Religious Liberty.

Carrie Miles on Religion, Gender, and Missionaries.

Timothy Shah on the Case for Religious Liberty.

Eleanor Power on Rituals, Community, and Signaling

tonygill — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 08:00:08 +0000

Walking across hot coals. Piercing your cheeks with sharp skewers. Pulling your skin with sharp hooks. What would possess individuals to do such things? And are they crazy?! Dr. Eleanor (Elly) Power, a postdoctoral fellow at the Santa Fe Institute, explains what would motivate people to engage in such “odd rituals” and the fascinating and extensive ethnographic study she conducted for several years in two small villages in India. Our conversation begins with explaining the concept of “ritual,” which Dr. Power defines as a symbolic, repeated, and public activity. While acknowledging the presence of private rituals, Elly focusses attention on the public aspect of rituals as the public displays make “odd behaviors” (e.g., firewalking) as it seems to be counter to what many people would consider “rational” behavior. We review some previous explanations for such “extreme” ritualistic actions such as people are simply irrational or are deluded by ancient beliefs. Elly notes that many of these explanations that rely upon “timeless” traditions are not quite true given that some of these practices are relatively new. Dr. Power then turns to an explanation that relies upon the idea of signaling behavior amidst uncertainty, noting that many different academic fields began studying the importance of signaling around the same time. Relying on insights from anthropology, economics, and sociology, Elly argues that many of these public rituals that involve costly behavior help members of a society identify which individuals are the most trustworthy and likely to be cooperative. Such signals are important in coordinating behavior and building community relations. Dr. Power describes the nature of her two years of fieldwork, including intensive surveys and mapping out the various network connections between individuals. She finds that those who are involved in these public rituals are often at the center of important social networks. Interestingly, individuals who are “spiritually possessed” tend not to be as connected. We discuss what “possession” means and how it can range from a few short minutes of shaking at a church service or more intense behaviors in private. The conversation concludes with some of Elly’s reflections on what she has learned, and what has surprised her, over the course of her studies. She notes that people around the world are often the same despite different cultures and we all tend to worry about our reputations. Recorded: June 16, 2016.

Institute for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Society at Chapman University (info on graduate student colloquia).

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Rodney Stark on The Triumph of Faith

tonygill — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 10:21:04 +0000

The decline of religion around the world may be greatly exaggerated. This is the assertion made by Dr. Rodney Stark — co-founder and director of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and frequent guest on our program. He backs his claim with extensive survey evidence from a number of polling organizations (namely the Gallup World Poll) and other bits of evidence from scholarly studies. We take a tour de force of religion around the world to see that faith is as strong as ever, even in the United States.

Surveys by Pew Forum and the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) have indicated religious practice is on the decline in the United States. Tony asks Rod whether he has seen a similar trend in his own research using the Baylor Religion Study. While there has been an increase in the number of individuals who claim “no religious affiliation” or the infamous “nones” discussed by Pew, Prof. Stark notes that this really affects religious affiliation and not necessarily belief. His own examination of “nones” indicates that a substantial number of them still believe in God, pray weekly, and occasionally attend worship services. He also notes that many individuals who proclaim no traditional religious affiliation believe in “non-conventional” forms of the supernatural such as various New Age ideas of spirituality or entities such as elves. Tony points out that even in Iceland where attendance at church services is near the lowest in the Christian world, there is still a strong belief in elves to the point where people will hire clerics to investigate whether such creatures are inhabiting land they plan to build upon. Our conversation at this point also covers some issues with survey methodology and Rod explains the reason he is relying upon the Gallup World Poll for much of his research data.

We then expand our exploration to the rest of the world outside of the US and Europe. Whereas Europe has not seen any significant increase in religious practice or belief recently (outside of Muslim immigrants), the rest of the globe is experiencing a major explosion in religious affiliation, practice, and belief. Rod lists a couple statistics to bolster this point, including 81% of the world population claiming to belong to some organized religious faith, 71% saying that religion is important in their lives, and 51% having participated in some organized form of worship in the past week. Atheism rates remains relatively stagnant with only three countries registering more than 20% of the population as non-believers. Attendance and affiliation remains most flaccid in Europe. This continent registers low among individuals who attend religious services largely because Christianity was never deeply embedded in a number of these countries to begin with (particularly in Northern Europe) and monopolized state churches have little incentive to recruit and serve members, according to Prof. Stark.

Moving from the least religiously active part of the world, we then travel to Africa where religious practice has been growing exponentially. This is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa where there was nary a Christian on the continent in the late 1800s, but a vast majority now proclaim Christianity and attendance rates are the highest in the world. Rod points out that this is not only due to missionary work by Europeans in the early 20th century who introduced the faith, but more importantly is the result of indigenous church growth — i.e., Africans developing and organizing their own Christian denominations. Catholicism also shows strong growth in the region, surprising even the Vatican itself with its strong indigenous roots. We talk briefly about Islam in Northern Africa, and how contact between Muslims and Christians has created unfortunate conflict in some parts of the continent.

Asia is our next region of focus. Having recently co-authored a book with Xiuhua Wang on Christianity in China (see below), Rod explains how this country poses a unique challenge to secularization theory. While China is modernizing rapidly, it is also Christianizing equally fast and despite attempts by the communist regime to suppress or control the growth. Interestingly, the growth in religious practice is coming amongst the most educated and prosperous in Chinese society. While the central regime in China is concerned about this religious growth, many local officials take a hands-off approach to the practice of house churches. Tony speculates that there may be many parallels between what is currently happening in China to what went on in the pre-Constantine Church in the first three centuries. Japan becomes the next topic of conversation. Here, religious practice remains rather low. Rod points out that even with high rates of unbelief, many people still rely upon Shinto priests to bless their autos, homes, and even military equipment (which Tony mentions from a previous podcast with Ron Hassner).

Our last two topics cover Latin America and Islam. In the former, religious practice has increased dramatically despite the notion that Latin Americans have always been (since colonization) firmly Catholic. Prof. Stark tips his hat to Tony’s own research on the region and how Protestant missionaries in the 20th century lit a competitive fire underneath the Catholic Church, which prompted this institution to better serve its parishioner base. We discuss how the Latin American Catholic Church, whereas it used to rely upon imported priests, now sees significant growth in native seminarians and Rod provides an interesting anecdote from his time in California about how competition from Pentecostals motivated a Catholic parish. We touch a bit on Islam noting that while religious practice has been relatively high in North Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, this faith has become “more intensified” in recent decades. The display of religious symbols (e.g., hijab) has become more pronounced, and Rod discusses how Islam provides a great deal of internal religious competition that can give rise to this, particularly in an environment that is showing increased resentment of Western morals.

We finish off with some reflections on secularization theory and why this perspective is still so entrenched in the Academy. Prof. Stark shares some comments on political correctness and encourages more honest research amongst intellectuals. Recorded: December 30, 2015.

The Triumph of Faith: Why the World Is More Religious than Ever, by Rodney Stark.

America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists, by Rodney Stark.

The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion, by Rodney Stark.

America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone… Including Atheists, by Rodney Stark (available November 2012).

Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

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Rodney Stark on How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part I.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II.

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part III.

Rodney Stark on The Crusades.

Darío Fernández-Morera on Andalusian Spain

tonygill — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 09:00:45 +0000

In 711 A.D., an Islamic army from North Africa successfully conquered the majority of what is contemporary Spain, issuing in several centuries of Muslim rule on the peninsula. Beginning with the Enlightenment and continuing to present day, a number of scholars have written that the era of Andalusian Spain was one of religious harmony. Prof. Darío Fernández-Morera, an associate professor of Spanish & Portuguese at Northwestern University, examines what he calls the “myth of the Andalusian paradise” and the nature of hierocratic rule in medieval Spain.

Our conversation begins with discussion of how Prof. Fernández-Morera came to write on this topic. The first myth he displaces is the one that language professors in humanities departments only write about grammar and punctuation. He explains how research professors in departments such as Spanish & Portuguese actually examine a wide variety of topics, from literature to politics and many historical themes. It was during his own research on Miguel de Cervantes that he came upon a number of scholarly conceptualizations of Islamic Spain that presented the era as one where religious harmony reigned. Using a variety of sources, including original historical documentation, Darío investigated the truth to these claims. We lay out the parameters of his study, noting that he is primarily interested in the period of 711 A.D. to the end of the thirteenth century, when Muslims controlled most of Spain except for Galacia and a few other pockets of Christian resistance in the northwest. He reviews the history of the Islamic conquest and explains why he prefers to use the term Spain instead of Iberia.

We then turn to how Muslims ruled Spain during this period. Prof. Fernández-Morera notes that non-Muslims had four basic options: 1) convert to Islam; 2) pay the jizya (religious tithe); 3) flee; or 4) be killed. The rule was so comprehensive that no remains of churches can be found in southern Spain dating back to this era, and Christianity in Granada essentially vanished. We then look at how other scholars have viewed this era, with Prof. Fernández-Morera, explaining how a general myth of religious harmony and benevolent rule took hold. He traces this back to the Enlightenment period when more secular scholars sought to denigrate the importance of Christianity in Europe’s history, the development of exoticism and romantic notions of foreign cultures during the 19th century, and more recent versions of Occidentalism that pervade academia today. He explains the notion of heriocratic government (rule by clerics), the Maliki school of jurisprudence, and how non-Muslims were used as bureaucratic servants. We review a number of prohibitions that were put into place during this time, including apostasy, blasphemy, and drinking in public. It was noted that Christians could drink in their own communities, but they were forbidden to sell wine or other liquor to Muslims. Violations of these rules met with harsh punishments, including execution.

We also examine inter-faith relations, with Darío dispelling the notion of convivencia (or “living in harmony”). Christians lived separately from Muslims and there were a number of regulations — such as drinking from the same well or dining together — that kept the populations separate. He also discusses various rules governing the behavior of women, including veiling and prohibitions on females working outside the home. As to treatment of Jews, Prof. Fernández-Morera points out that they were treated better under Muslim rule than previous Christian rule, and this was largely due to the fact that Muslim rulers wanted to use Jews as a counterpoise to Christian communities (much the way the U.S. has played Sunnis and Shiites off one another in Iraq in the past decade). We finish with some of Darío’s personal reflection on his study and his thoughts about how his research will be received in a broader academic community. Recorded: December 8, 2015.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Darío Fernandez-Morera’s bio at Northwestern University’s Dept. of Spanish & Portuguese.

The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise: Muslims, Christians, and Jews under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain, by Darío Fernández-Morera.

The Lyre and the Oaten Flute: Garcilaso and the Pastoral, by Darío Fernández-Morera.

Europe and its Encounter with the Amerindians, edited by Darío Fernández-Morera.

Academia and the Survival of Marxist Ideas, by Darío Fernández-Morera.

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Rodney Stark on the Crusades.

Murat Iyigun on Monotheism, Conflict, Europe, the Ottomans, and the Blues.

John Owen IV on Confronting Political Islam, Historical Lessons.

Ron Hassner on Sacred Spaces & Holy Conflict.

Proselytism, Humanitarianism, and Development: A Panel Discussion

tonygill — Sun, 24 May 2015 08:00:56 +0000

Proselytism is as old as religion itself. Nearly all spiritual faiths seek to expand the number of adherents that they have via communicating with people not within their faith tradition. But to what extent is proselytism a “bad thing” for society, perhaps as a form of cultural imperialism? How has religious proselytism impacted socio-economic development over time? How do humanitarian acts factor into proselytism and economic development? Thomas Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project (part of Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs), leads a conversation among a diverse set of scholars including Robert Woodberry, Michael Barnett, and Rebecca Shah (heard in that order). This is one of several panels presented by the Religious Freedom Project on the topic of proselytism, including one on proselytism and social stability (see below). Recorded: March 4, 2015.

Thomas Farr’s bio at the Religious Freedom Project.

Michael Barnett’s bio at George Washington University.

Rebecca Shah’s bio at the Religious Freedom Project.

Robert Woodberry’s bio at the Religious Freedom Project.

Cornerstone, the official blog of the Religious Freedom Project.

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Proselytism, Social Stability, and Development: A Panel Discussion.

Religious Liberty & Economic Prosperity: A Panel Discussion.

Religious Liberty & Political Flourishing: A Panel Discussion.

Rebecca Shah on Religion and the Enterprising Poor in India.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty, and US Diplomacy.

Robert Woodberry on Missionaries and Democracy.

Timothy Shah on the Case for Religious Freedom.

Jim Papandrea on Christianity’s Seven Revolutions

tonygill — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 08:00:43 +0000

What difference does a religious tradition make? If it is Christianity, Prof. Jim Papandrea of the Garrett-Evangelical Seminary at Northwestern University says it matters a great deal. Jim returns to our show for the third time (hat trick) and discusses his new book Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again, coauthored with Mike Aquilina. The general thrust of the book is that Christian theology introduced to the world (at least) seven new ways to envision human society, starting with the individual person and proceeding up through the state.

Jim starts us off by listing the seven great revolutions introduced by Christian thought, including how we look at: the person, the home (and gender roles), work (and the laborer), religion, community, death, and (finally) the state. He also notes how Christianity promoted a “God of love” that opened the door to an inclusionary religion that shaped all of these critical areas. We then look into the fourth revolution — religion — more closely and Jim notes that although based upon a Judaic foundation, Christianity opens the door to proselytizing and including all peoples into one single religion. This has a major impact on how individuals and neighbors are conceived, and will impact the how early Christians opened the door to new thinking on government. We cover the reaction to this new message amongst the Romans of the day, which wasn’t always welcoming. Persecutions were common, yet Christianity kept growing culminating in its final acceptance under the Edict of Milan (313 CE). Jim discusses the role that Constantine played in this process and notes that the Edict of Milan, contrary to the notion that it established Christianity as the official church, was really the world’s first document on religious liberty. This springboards us into another one of Jim’s seven revolutions regarding the role of the state. Here we spend some time talking about how Christianity changed the notion of sovereignty by not placing the “person at the top of the governing pyramid” as the ultimate authority, but rather noting that God is a separate authority. Jim discusses how this translates into the role of citizen sovereignty and how it relates to the foundation of the US government some 230 years ago. We also take time to cover the revolutions of community (“love thy neighbor”) as well as how Christianity developed the concept of human dignity for all and how this helped change views on labor and family roles, not to mention the topics of euthanasia, abortion, and infanticide (practices common in the Roman Empire).

Our conversation ends with some reflection on Christianity in the “post-Christian era.” Jim qualifies that term by noting that there have been moments in history that have looked dire for the demise of the Christian faith, but he raises concern about a secular ethos that may be returning our culture towards the mindset of the pre-Christian era. We ruminate about the role that violent sport and reality TV (a form of entertainment that relishes in humiliation) and what role Christianity can play in addressing the contemporary culture. Jim ends on an optimistic note by asserting that Christianity is always primed for a revival and that by joining together across denominational lines, Christianity can remain highly relevant in the world. Recorded: March 17, 2015.

Jim Papandrea’s personal website including a picture of him pointing at stuff in Rome and his YouTube channel (with music videos).

Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again, by Mike Aquilina and James Papandrea.

Reading the Early Church Fathers, by James Papandrea.

The Wedding of the Lamb, by James Papandrea.

Trinity 101: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by James Papandrea.

Jim Papandrea’s Amazon.com page with more books and a video of Jim.

Still Quiet Voice, a music CD by James Papandrea.

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Sarah Bond on the Church and Funerals in Late Antiquity.

Religious Freedom & Political Flourishing: A Panel Discussion

tonygill — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 09:00:49 +0000

Can religious liberty trailblaze a pathway towards greater political liberalization in autocratic countries? Is religious freedom a necessary condition for democratic societies? And how does religious liberty orginate and sustain itself in regimes around the world? Are other freedoms necessary to sustain the rights of conscience? These were questions that were posed to an esteemed panel of four scholars assembled by the Religious Freedom Project of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University in early October. Moderated by Timothy Shah (Religious Freedom Project), the panelists include — in order of appearance — Dan Philpott (RFP and Notre Dame), Nukhet Sandal (Ohio U), Ani Sarkissian (Michigan State), and Tony Gill (U of Washington).

Prior to assembling the panel, Timothy Shah mailed all four discussants a set of questions as follows:

Is it possible to have a polity that is liberal and democratic in most respects bu that also suppresses religious freedom?
Does the presence of robust religious freedom promote political freedom, limited government, and democracy? If so, what specific elements of religious freedom ar most crucial for promoting political freedom and vibrant democracy?
Are there wasy in which religious freedom helps to promote transitions from authoritarianism to democracy?
Are there context or regions important for American national security and global stability that illustrate the causal linkages between religious freedom, on the one hand, and political freedom and democratization, on the other?

All four panelists were given about 10 minutes to respond to any and all of these questions using any region of the world and historical era that they chose. This was then followed up by further questions by the moderator, Tim Shah, and several questions from the audience. Recorded: October 10, 2013 at Georgetown University.

RELATED LINKS

The panel discussion in video format available at YouTube.

Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs (Georgetown University).

Timothy Shah’s bio at Religious Freedom Project.

Dan Philpott’s bio at Religious Freedom Project and Notre Dame (Political Science).

Nukhet Sandal’s bio at Religious Freedom Project at Ohio University (Political Science).

Ani Sarkissian’s bio at Religious Freedom Project and Michigan State (Political Science).

Tony Gill’s bio at Religious Freedom Project and U of Washington (Political Science).

God’s Century: Resurgent Religion and Global Politics, by Monica Toft, Daniel Philpott, and Timothy Shah.

Religious Freedom, Why Now? Defending an Embattled Human Right, by Timothy Shah and Matthew Franck.

Religion in International Relations Theory: Interactions and Possibilities, by Nukhet Sandal and Jonathan Fox.

Religion as an Issue in Politics, by Nukhet Sandal.

The Political Origins of Religious Liberty, by Anthony Gill.

(Ani Sarkissian has a forthcoming book. Stay tuned for details.)

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Timothy Shah on the Case for Religious Freedom.

Ani Sarkissian on Religious Liberty in the Post-Soviet World.

Daniel Philpott on Religious Resurgence and Democratization.

Anthony Gill on the Political Origins of Religious Liberty.

William Inboden on Religious Liberty, Foreign Policy, and the Arab Spring.

Thomas Farr on Religion, Religious Liberty, and US Diplomacy.

Robert Woodberry on Missionaries and Democracy.

Allen Hertzke on Religious Liberty.

Joel Fetzer on Confucianism and Democracy.

Jonathan Fox on Religion and State around the World.

Joel Fetzer on Confucianism and Democracy

tonygill — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 08:00:20 +0000

Max Weber, the famed sociologist who shaped a great deal of the social scientific study of religion, once wrote that a certain ideational version of Protestantism, namely Calvinism, was responsible for giving rise to industrial capitalism and, by extension, liberal democracy in Western Europe. In contrast, Weber also argued that Confucianism acted as an ideological roadblock to economic and political development. With the recent democratization of several countries that were historically influenced by Confucian thought, Joel Fetzer — a professor of political science at Pepperdine University — examines whether or not the claim that Confucianism is incompatible with democracy still rings true. Our primary focus is on Taiwan, a country that he studied extensively with his frequent collaborator Chris Soper, though we also extend an eye to the democratization process in South Korea, as well as the still-authoritarian countries of China and Singapore.

Joel begins the conversation by detailing the political history of Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore to set the table for latter discussion. He then discusses some of the more prominent political explanations for the political liberalization of the former two nations, which includes an emphasis on economic variables such as the rise of a middle class as well as the political manuevering of interest groups. Often overlooked in the study of democratization, though, is the role ideas play in reshaping the political landscape. We briefly talk about how ideas or culture may affect the shape of a political regime, with a tip of the hat to scholars such as Robert Putnam who have argued that cultural traditions can play an important role in the political organization of society.

With the potential influence of ideas on the table, we then examine Confucianism. Prof. Fetzer provides a basic introduction to this religion/philosophy. He notes that key elements of Confucian thought do seem to coincide with more authoritarian notions of leadership. We discuss the “five right relationships” that emphasize a deference to elders and to authority, the importance of filial piety, and the desire to promote social harmony over conflict. All of these virtues can be seen as working against the conflict and social fluidity that tend to characterize modern democratic thought. We then discuss how Confucianism, like many other religions, is rather malleable and how interpretations or emphases can change over time. This leads to an interesting discussion of how the educational system in Taiwan was used to emphasize different facets of Confucian thought at different times in its history, most specifically in the authoritarian and post-authoritarian eras. This is compared with how it is taught in Singapore currently.

Prof. Fetzer than shares some of the empirical observations from his study conducted with Chris Soper. In conjunction with what Weber and others have argued, they find that adherence to Confucian values do correspond to holding authoritarian values under autocratic regimes. Interestingly, this relationship doesn’t necessarily hold under democratic regimes. Indeed, people identifying with Confucianism may be more favorable to values such as minority rights under democratic regimes. This leads to one of the main assertions of their research, that while Confucianism may not be a cause of political liberalization in these societies, the philosophy itself is not necessarily inimical to democratic values under more liberalized regimes. We finish our discussion by examining the role that Christianity may have played in the democratic process both in South Korea and Taiwan. Recorded: October 4, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Joel Fetzer’s bio at Pepperdine University (includes links to available articles).

Confucianism, Democratization, and Human Rights in Taiwan, by Joel Fetzer and J. Christopher Soper.

Muslims and the State in Britain, France, and Germany, by Joel Fetzer and J. Christopher Soper.

Luxembourg as an Immigration Success Story, by Joel Fetzer.

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Robert Delahunty on Alexis de Tocqueville and Religion.

Robert Woodberry on Missionaries and Democracy.

Daniel Philpott on Religious Resurgence and Democratization.

Kevin Cooney on Christianity in Japan

tonygill — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 08:00:31 +0000

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Japan is not known for being an overly religious country. Indeed, compared to its neighbors in Korea and even the People’s Republic of China, the Japanese look downright secular. Prof. Kevin Cooney of Northwest University joins us to talk about the interesting religious landscape in Japan. Having lived there for five years as a Christian, Kevin offers some unique insights on Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. We start with a general survey of what Japan would look like spiritually to a person who just stepped off an airplane in Tokyo today. This leads to a bit of a discussion on Shintoism and Buddhism. However, Tony asks Kevin what it was like to live as a practicing Christian in Japan where only 1% of the population identifies as such. This sets off a discussion about the “secret history” of Christianity that dates back to the “Church of the East” (sometimes referred to as the Nestorian Church). This history pre-dates the arrival of the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier who arrived on the shores of Japan in the early 1549. We then map out what happens to Christianity in the subsequent centuries, particularly when Christians are forced underground in the midst of religious persecution. Kevin tells interesting stories of how underground mining museums still present representations of Christians being married by priests, and we also cover how these Christians were forgotten by the Vatican yet remained rather orthodox (small “o”) in their theological outlook. Our journey continues through the Meiji and Toisho eras and through World War II where, ironically, the largest concentration of Christians in Japan was destroyed in the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. What happens after this event, particularly the disillusionment following Emperor Hirohito’s surrender and announcement that he was not of divine character, sets up our conversation to again examine the contemporary religious landscape of Japan. Kevin shares his thoughts on why Christianity has taken firmer hold in South Korea and China as compared to Japan. We leave off with an intersting discussion of fertility rates, how this relates to religion, and the future of the Japanese nation. Recorded: September 29, 2012 in Match Coffee & Wine Bar (Duvall, WA).

RELATED LINKS

Kevin Cooney’s website at Northwest University.

RELATED PODCASTS

Kevin Cooney on Religion and the Rule of Law in China.