The Task of Theological Humanism
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The other major conception of the relation of morality, religion, and politics in the modern, Western world is found in the idea of the social contract. Morality and the Social Contract
Deeply rooted within Anglo-American thought, it is also found among modern continental thinkers like Rousseau and Kant. The idea is seen in the earliest moments of birth of the United States and draws inspiration from ideas in Protestant thought, for instance, the famous Mayflower
Compact. Human beings freely and rationally form political associations (compacts, covenants, or contracts) in order to sustain certain goods (prop-erty, peace, the pursuit of happiness).upon the social contract. (^10) The legitimacy of the State rests
long as citizens abide by the social contract. As John Locke famously noted, only two commitments cannot be tolerated: (1) atheism, since this meant in Locke’s mind a lack of respect for moral order, and (2) allegiance to a foreign This vision is quite tolerant of divergent moral and religious outlooks so
power, which he saw in Roman Catholic relations to the Holy See that might thwart the claims of Parliament and the Crown. Beyond those limits, the constitutional state is morally neutral in terms of citizens’ moral and religious convictions, as well as ideas about happiness. John Rawls, a recent
exponent of this position, contends that political liberalism seeks an overlap-ping consensus among citizens and does not rest on any comprehensive doctrines, especially religious and metaphysical ones.by their moral judgments and remain committed to the political community (^11) Citizens must abide
they create. Moral ideals can and do enter political discourse, since they may function as regulative ideals for political action. However, in public action the validity of those ideas must be established politically and not religiously or metaphysically. The aim is to form an inclusive political community that
allows the maximal diversity within the bonds of social peace and security.American context. From the so-called Social Gospel movement at the end of the nineteenth century to many other reformist impulses, the attempt has The contractarian outlook, as we call it, is deeply entrenched in the
been to bring moral ideas of human equality and justice to bear on political realities. A stirring example is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon “I have a Dream” (1963). King aimed to express a moral ideal sufficient to move the nation towards racial equality and social justice. (^12) His inspiring rhetoric drew
upon the African-American Baptist heritage, but also philosophical ideas about democracy. Granting the religious and philosophical character of his com-prehensive doctrine, King still appealed for validation to the democratic