Public Theology in the Post-Secular?

Public Theology in the Post-Secular? January 10, 2015

I recently read/pillaged an article by Linell Cady which calls for a re-evaluation of the role and methods of public theology in light of our post-secular context (brill.com/ijpt).

The term “public theology” appears to have been coined by Martin Marty. It was a liberal Christian response to a growing religio-political fundamentalism. Of course, religio-political fundamentalism (i.e. the religious right) was itself responding to secularization. So, in a way, public theology attempted to be a better, more “right” kind of response. Think of it as the “B” side of Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority, but with a smaller PR budget.

The story of the secular goes something like this: Once upon a time, religion was mixed up in all sorts of things like art, science, and politics. Then the Enlightenment came, and people started to realize that religion should be a matter of private belief. When that happened, the things that religion once held back began to flourish. Democracy spread, scientific discoveries accelerated, there were fewer paintings of Jesus, etc. New Atheists continue to advance this narrative, arguing that peace and harmony would reign if only we could get rid of the last vestiges of religion and superstitious thinking (think of it as secularism with “roid rage”).

The author points out that anyone who has been paying attention to the news knows that there is a problem with this narrative. The distinction between the secular and religious is not nearly so clear. True, more are ignorant about religion, but they are also very interested in being “spiritual.” Furthermore, (speaking of religious ignorance) we are also witnessing the rise of various forms of religious radicalism. Basically, religion has not continued to retreat into private life. Religion is very public.

Thus we need to think of this as a post-secular age. Of course, as Cady points out, “The proliferating references to the postsecular have not brought any consensus in what it actually means.” But it has something to do with the strange menage a trois of religious radicalism, pluralism, and ignorance. Public theology needs also to become post-secular. Part of that means that we must keep in mind the concern for human wellbeing that gave rise to public theology in the first place, it also means that we need to begin to think beyond our sectarian divides. Cady seems to be calling for a public theology that is more pluralistic.

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