Political Justice and Religious Values Book

List of Tables viii

Preface ix

Chapter 1. Interpretations of Religion and Politics 1

Political Attitudes and Religious Values 2

Political and Spiritual Justice 10

Meaning of Justice 10

Sources of Knowledge about Justice 22

Application of Spiritual Principles to Public Policies 24

Religious Discourse and Political Change 27

Conclusion 33

Chapter 2. Perspectives on Biblical Justice 36

Interpretations of the Scriptures 37

Jesus, Justice, and the Challenge to Elitist Rule 43

Paul, Justice, and Citizenship in Heaven 52

Conclusion 59

Chapter 3. Walter Rauschenbusch: Prophet of the Social Gospel 65

Capitalist Modernization and the Progressive Movement 67

Theological Views about Justice 74

Public Policy Preferences for Justice 80

Conclusion 83

Chapter 4. The Social Gospel and Political Action 90

Protestant Activists 93

Jim Wallis 95

William Sloane Coffin 102

John Shelby Spong 113

Dorothy Day: The Catholic Worker Movement 123

Rabbi Michael Lerner: The Network of Spiritual Progressives 130

Conclusion 138

Chapter 5. New Thought and the Power of the Individual Mind 140

The Heritage of New Thought 148

Early Christian Gnosticism: The Gospel of Mary 148

Transcendentalism: The Influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson 151

The Teacher of New Thought: Emma Curtis Hopkins 158

The Unity School of Christianity 164

Religious Science 172

Conclusion 181

Chapter 6. The Policy Influence of Religious Liberalism 186

The Exercise of Political Influence 191

Religious Vision 197

Political Organization 200

Individual Support 207

Conclusion 213

Chapter 7. Liberal and Conservative Attitudes toward Justice 219

The Motivational Basis of Attitudes 224

Hypotheses about Issue Preferences 233

National Public Opinion 238

Public Opinion among Religious Groups 243

Conclusion 256

Appendix: Measurement of Variables 261

References 266

Index 316