Inspiration and pragmatism meet to build democracy

Mike Huckabee, the conservative former Arkansas governor, this weekend said that he is concerned about Islam's role in Egypt's future. As On Faith panelist Reza Aslan this week noted, Huckabee has also called for Americans to "take this nation back for Christ" and, while running for president in 2008, declared that "what we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards."

In America and in Egypt, should a majority religion inspire political life? How will Islam play a role in the struggles for democracy happening now in Egypt and other parts of the Muslim world?

The key word in this question is "inspire."

In America - and around the world - religion inevitably inspires political life. It's for the simple reason that people are religious and politics, by definition, consists of people. People bring their own experiences and beliefs when organizing the power spread among them. In this way, faith touches every aspect of life, including how we live together in community.

In the United States, Christian experience and perspective inspired those who put in place the core values of our democracy hundreds of years ago. This includes the important separation between the powers of the state and the structures of the church. In our time, for many, the Christian experience continues to sustain our national commitment to those values.

I find that some believers do miss (or misinterpret) the role religions play in the political life of a people. Christianity in the US has not inspired political life by quoting the Bible or declaring, "Thus saith the Lord!" The authority for government action cannot be that the church says "go" and we "go." Given the diversity now inevitable in a small world, authority arises from relevance and effectiveness in the eyes of everyone.

The inspiration may be religious but the policy that will prevail must always be pragmatic.

Take the example of separation between the church and the state - this structure is compelling in our country because it has worked to keep the peace, not because the Bible tells us so.

Islam can have the same power of inspiration as peoples across the Muslim world - in Egypt and elsewhere - struggle to establish democracy in their body politic. Certainly, Islam has divisions and tensions, just like Christianity. And hard experience among Muslims teaches the crucial historic lesson that mixing the power of the state with the institutions of religion can breed violence. In this pregnant moment, Muslims, inspired by their faith, have the awesome opportunity to craft their community in a way that leads to peace.

This is exactly what the Tunisian activist, Ghanouchi, claims he intends to bring as he returns to Tunisia from his two decades in exile. His faith may fuel his ardor for his country, but he seems to understand that his ideas for Tunisia's future need to make good sense to all the people -- and to promise effective democracy. In other words, he needs to be pragmatic. The same holds for the leadership emerging in Egypt.

Religious faith will certainly continue to inspire core values, like peace. A diverse democracy like ours, and those emerging around the world, cherish these values because they work -- they serve the community -- and not because they are solely inspired by religion.

By Janet Edwards  |  February 1, 2011; 6:07 PM ET Save & Share:                 
Previous: What Egypt can teach America | Next: Getting to the heart of political influence

Posted by: jobandon | February 2, 2011 5:51 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: stephendavid2002 | February 2, 2011 3:16 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Posted by: nabi18 | February 2, 2011 1:23 PM
Report Offensive Comment