Reconciling Opposites - Religious Freedom and Contractual Ethics in a Democratic Society

The American justice system was founded on the idea of "majority-rule," but in a democracy this is achievable only if the majority has the interests of the whole at heart. As a solution, W. Royce Clark formulates a non-majoritarian ethic that would represent not just the interests of white Christian men, but all citizens.

List of contents

Introduction
1. Definitions, Scope, and Tools for the Project
2. Diverse Freedoms Within Unity: Basic Real Problems
3. The History of Christianity in the U.S.: Aspiration and Mythologization, or Desacralization and Freedom of Conscience
4. The History of Religion, Ethics, and Law in the U.S.: From Theocracy to a Constitution
5. The "Free Exercise" Clause: Worship as Beyond Government's Jurisdiction
6. Religious "Free Exercise" to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993
7. The First Amendment: Who Guarantees "Free Exercise"?
8. Unlimited "Free Exercise": "Any Law is Subject to Challenge"?
9. "No Law Respecting the Establishment of Religion"
10. The First Amendment: A Very Selective Reading of History
11. "No Law?" The "Evenhandedness" and "Private Choice" Cure-all?
12. Conclusion: The Inclusive Will-to-Live in a Democratic Republic
Cited Select Supreme Court Cases
Bibliography

About the author

W. Royce Clark is professor emeritus of Pepperdine University.

Summary

The American justice system was founded on the idea of “majority-rule,” but in a democracy this is achievable only if the majority has the interests of the whole at heart. As a solution, W. Royce Clark formulates a non-majoritarian ethic that would represent not just the interests of white Christian men, but all citizens.

Product details

• Authors: W. Royce Clark, Clark W. Royce
• Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.12.2021
• EAN: 9781978708679
• ISBN: 978-1-978708-67-9
• No. of pages: 582
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; USA, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology of Religion, RELIGION / Ethics, HISTORY / United States / General, United States of America, USA, Religious ethics, History of the Americas, Social groups: religious groups & communities, Religious groups: social & cultural aspects, Social groups: religious groups and communities