Politics and Religion in the United States and France

by Hargreaves, Alec; Kelsay, John; Twiss, Sumner B.; Appleby, R Scott; Bauberot, Jean; Berenbaum, Michael; Chelini-Pont, Blandine; de Wenden, Catherine Wihtol; Fath, Sebastien; Gunn, T Jeremy; Little, David; Porterfield, Amanda; Schwartz, Remy; Takim, Liyaka

• ISBN13: 9780739119303
• ISBN10: 0739119303
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-16
• Publisher: Lexington Books

Summary

Religion and Politics in France and the United States compares the current status and views of Jews, Christians, and Muslims regarding political life in two states. Longstanding traditions of laicite and of constitutional law frame discussions of political speech, voting patterns, and attempts to deal with demographic and cultural shifts characteristic of French and American societies. Papers by leading scholars demonstrate the ways that historical experience sheds light on current events; how it is, for example, that previous efforts to deal with religious difference affect current approaches to the display of religious symbols in state schools, or how the struggles of minority groups for recognition affect voting patterns. One question running throughout the volume is, what can French and American policymakers and citizens learn from one another, as they seek to deal with the challenges presented by contemporary life?

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. ix
Historical and Constitutional Frameworks	p. 1
Religion, Politics, and Law in the United States in Comparative Perspective	p. 3
Historical and Constitutional Relations between Churches and the State in France	p. 15
Protestantism	p. 27
Religious Freedom and American Protestantism	p. 29
Putting God into the City: Protestants in France	p. 49
Catholicism	p. 63
The Catholic Story: The Political Consequences of Internal Pluralism	p. 65
French Catholics, Secularization, and Politics	p. 79
Judaism	p. 95
The American Jewish Experience	p. 97
From Assimilation to Post-Republicanism: Jews in France	p. 111
Islam	p. 121
To Vote or not to Vote: The Politicization of American Islam	p. 123
From Migrants to Citizens: Muslims in France	p. 139
Conclusions	p. 155
Current issues in France	p. 157
Politicized Religion in France and the United States: Different Histories, Common Ideals, Similar Dilemmas	p. 171
Index	p. 183
About the Contributors	p. 197
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