Freedom and Law: Moving Beyond the Secular-Religious Divide

Europe has abandoned religion at a very fundamental level and on a widespread scale. Religion no longer provides an interpretive framework for how the world fits together. It no longer informs social, economic, or political ethics. Religion is still present but either as a largely irrelevant entity that has absolutely no impact on lawmaking, politics, or economy (Christianity) or as a menace that needs to be contained before the genie gets out of the bottle (Islam).

Religious Roots of the Secular

The intellectual elites generally give no account of the fact that ethics, politics, and much of the fabric of our culture and society is deeply shaped and informed by Christian ideas about governance, morality, and eschatology. One notable exception, and perhaps an indication of change vis-a-vis this glaring case of amnesia, is the work of Giorgio Agamben, who relentlessly pursues the task of uncovering the theological origins of European politics. See for instance his The Kingdom and the Glory.

Not only are the Christian roots of European thought and public life deep and strong, they still bear great relevance for today. Understanding this could be of great help to bridge the Europe of today with the Europe that once was and help forge a path toward the future. Understanding the…