Ep. 247 - Political Philosophy & Classical Liberalism and Radical Religions w/Dr. Kevin Vallier
Sep 5, 2023
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Dr. Kevin Vallier, author of All the Kingdoms of the World, joins the podcast to discuss political philosophy, religious alternatives to liberalism, and the historical relationship between religion and politics. They also explore the concepts of liberalism, post-liberalism, and anti-liberalism, the history of Catholicism in America, the challenges of integralism in a pluralistic society, and the power dynamics between church and state throughout history.
Liberalism, post-liberalism, and anti-liberalism are distinct political traditions with differing views on individual autonomy, community, and religion.
Integralism, a subset of anti-liberalism, seeks to integrate Catholicism and the state but faces challenges related to implementation, stability, and justice.
Engaging with integralism intellectually is important to foster understanding of political theology, but it should be approached as an intellectual position rather than a political program.
Deep dives
Liberalism and its Principles
Liberalism is a political tradition that emphasizes individual and small group freedom from government intervention, equality in rights and power, the principle of toleration, and the belief in mutual advantage rather than conflict in society.
The Rise of Post-Liberalism
Post-liberalism critiques the individualistic and atomizing nature of liberalism, arguing that it undermines community and traditional religion. Post-liberals tend to reject notions of equality, are less tolerant of different perspectives, and advocate for a different kind of political order that emphasizes communal human good over individual autonomy.
The Emergence of Anti-Liberalism
Anti-liberalism strongly opposes liberalism's principles and seeks a return to more traditional religious and hierarchical systems. Anti-liberals reject the separation of church and state, favor coercive religious establishments, and view society as inherently conflictual. Some anti-liberals, particularly Catholic integralists, advocate for a close integration of the state and the church, seeking to direct policy and spiritual affairs according to religious doctrine.
The Influence of Integralism
Integralism, a subset of anti-liberalism, emphasizes the connection between the temporal and eternal common goods promoted by the state and the church. While the British integralists focus primarily on reviving the Catholic Church's political role, the American integralists have gained prominence among young Catholics, particularly after the election of Trump. American integralists lean towards more left-leaning economic policies and reject market-oriented liberalism.
The Challenges of Integralism
The podcast episode discusses the challenges and criticisms of integralism, a political philosophy that advocates for the integration of Catholicism and the state. The speaker highlights three main arguments against integralism: the transition argument, the stability argument, and the justice argument. The transition argument suggests that it is morally infeasible to implement integralism in a pluralistic society without resorting to violence. The stability argument posits that integralism contains the seeds of its own destruction, as the inherent disagreements and resistance within a pluralistic society undermine its stability. Finally, the justice argument raises concerns about the unfair treatment of individuals within an integral regime, particularly in relation to the theology of baptism and the constraints it imposes on individuals' rights.
The Intellectual Engagement with Integralism
The podcast episode also emphasizes the importance of engaging with integralism intellectually, while cautioning against embracing it as a political program. The speaker expresses the need to take integralism seriously as an intellectual position and engage in scholarly discussions and debates. However, the aim is to foster a broader understanding of political theology and explore alternative viewpoints. The podcast explores the methods and questions involved in analyzing and evaluating different religious traditions' political theologies, including Sunni Islam and Chinese Confucianism. The overall goal is to encourage critical thinking and provide a framework for developing an analytic political theology that incorporates various disciplines such as philosophy, theology, history, and economics.
In ep. 247 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Kevin Vallier to discuss his new book, All the Kingdoms of the World. We get into all sorts of fun political philosophy and different forms of radical religious movements on the rise today and why they want to fight against the tenets of classical liberalism.
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