In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss France's ongoing struggle between the French State and organized religion. Their embrace of laïcité, which is best translated as secularism, means they really have adopted a freedom from religion mentality within the public sphere. This goes well beyond the idea of separation of church and state, and sets very tight restrictions on religious expression in public places.
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As the start of the 2024 Olympics in Paris rapidly approaches, the French laïcité will undoubtedly face challenges as the ban on religious symbols may prompt some French athletes to rebel. For a good article on this topic, we suggest that you read “From schools to the Olympics, how France's staunch secularism affects religion in public life,” by Giovanna Dell'Orto. Another article that came up several times in today's conversation is worth the time to read as well: “Why Is France so Afraid of God?” by Rachel Donadio.
This is not the first time that the podcast has centered around the interaction of religion and politics in the public sphere. In case you missed these past episodes, be sure to check out: CCP112: On January 6 and the Fastest Growing Christian Movement in America, CCP46: On the Clash over Religious Freedom and CCP37: On Christian Nationalism. Today's discussion also went into a bit of a history lesson on the Enlightenment and French Revolution. As Alexis noted, the importance of understanding history and its impact on the cultural trends of our day was something that Dr. White highlighted in another past episode: CCP73: On Becoming a Student of Culture.
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