Democracy Needs Religion

Hartmut Rosa author Valentine A Pakis translator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Published:24th May '24

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in another edition too:

Democracy Needs Religion cover

What role does religion play in modern societies?  Is it merely an anachronism that hinders our economic growth?  Is it a kind of superstition that people should be left to enjoy in private but should refrain from discussing in public?  It is no secret that the Christian churches in Western societies have massive problems – quite apart from the recent scandals.  Shrinking congregations are just one sign of their diminishing relevance. But what would happen to democracy if the resonance of religion were to fade entirely?

Leading sociologist Hartmut Rosa addresses this fundamental question in a way that makes us think afresh about religion and the role it plays in our contemporary democratic societies.  He argues that religion fosters a culture of dialogue, listening and reflection that allows us to form connections with others and experience the world as meaningful.  This, in turn, helps citizens cultivate a democratic sensibility that can serve as an anchor in unstable times.  With his characteristic clarity and insight, Rosa analyses our contemporary societies and dares to ponder what would happen if the centuries-old reservoir of wisdom embedded in religion were to be lost in an ultra-modern age.

“Hartmut Rosa has become a primary diagnostician of the contemporary predicament. In this short and provocative essay, he shows how religion, broadly understood, can help renew the efficacy of society on which democracy depends.”
Craig Calhoun, Arizona State University

ISBN: 9781509561223

Dimensions: 193mm x 130mm x 13mm

Weight: 159g

84 pages