In "God's Democracy," Emilio Gentile argues that the presidency
of George W. Bush sought to alter the way religion functions in
American political life. Prior to the events of 9/11, the national
government operated under a civil religious regime that placed a
sacred umbrella over the entire country and its leading political
figures. American civil religion was not only an inclusive faith,
but one that provided ample room for citizens with different
politics and different world views. But in the wake of 9/11,
President Bush used religion to differentiate Americans on partisan
lines. Relying heavily on his evangelical Christian base, he
attempted to substitute for the inclusivism of the traditional
American civil religion an exclusivist political religion in which
Democrats were portrayed as hostile to religious values and
incapable of dealing with the country's foreign enemies. This book
provides the historical context for this attempted transformation,
and shows in a detailed way how the Bush administration pursued it.
Gentile concludes by posing the question of whether this radical
shift in the way Americans understand themselves religiously will
prove permanent.
Unlike other works that strive to show how religion has
generally come to be treated in American politics, this new book
looks more squarely at the Bush Administration and its attempt to
shut out Democrats from the political process by invoking religious
language and ideals. He goes on to consider the political
exclusivism and whether or not it will persist beyond Bush's
tenure.
General
Imprint: |
Praeger Publishers Inc
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Religion, Politics, and Public Life Under the auspices of the Leonard E. Greenb |
Release date: |
September 2008 |
First published: |
September 2008 |
Authors: |
Emilio Gentile
|
Dimensions: |
235 x 156 x 25mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
208 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-313-35336-9 |
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
Religion & beliefs >
General
Books >
Religion & Spirituality >
General
|
LSN: |
0-313-35336-0 |
Barcode: |
9780313353369 |
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