by E. J. Dionne
First published 2000
Two centuries after the Constitution's creation, Americans remain divided on religion's proper place in society. This essay collection tackles the persistent debate over whether faith belongs in private life, public discourse, or both. Richard N. Ostling surveys America's shifting religious terrain and evolving patterns of belief. Robert J. Blendon leads a team comparing how political, moral, and religious values changed from the 1960s to the 1990s. Patrick Glynn and Alan Wolfe analyze how different religious communities responded to a recent presidential scandal. James Q. Wilson, John J. DiIulio Jr., and Ram Cnaan investigate the growing influence of faith-based social programs, tracking how private funding flows to religious service providers and documenting the community work of black churches and urban congregations. Contributors including Taylor Branch, Kurt Schmoke, Cal Thomas, and Peter Wehner add diverse perspectives to this examination of religion's unsettled place in contemporary American life.
Genres: american, politics, non-fiction, 21st-century, christianity, current-affairs, academic, american-history
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: diverse-perspectives
Period: 1960s, 1990s
211 pages · Paperback · Brookings Institution Press