Liberal Thinkers and the Democratic Direction

In this episode, we bring you a recent Acton Lecture Series event with Kevin Vallier.

The 20th century featured an unusual phenomenon: global secularizing movements. In the 19th century, these movements were confined mostly to Western Europe, but in the 20th century they exploded, suppressing the influence of religion around the world. In some milder cases, as in Turkey and India, the political expression of only the great religions was throttled. In others, such as in the USSR and Mao’s China, ferocious religious persecution was an ideological necessity. In light of new political realities, however, older religious traditions are beginning to take back their influence in the public square. And they’re doing so by rejecting the “liberalism” they see as their oppressor. 

Dr. Vallier discusses these different anti-liberal movements, critiques them, and explains how Christian liberals can understand and engage them.

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Acton Lecture Series