Does Religion Have a Future in Liberal Politics?

This question is more timely than ever today, as the prevailing assumption is that religion is associated almost entirely with conservative politics, and that there is little place in liberal or progressive politics for religious voices. Of course, it has not always been that way, as the experience of the abolition, civil rights, labor, antiwar, liberation theology and antipoverty movements has shown. A conference sponsored by Fordham University's new Center on Religion and Culture on November 11 will explore whether that tradition has any vitality today. The Center was organized by Peggy and Peter Steinfels (a great move by Fordham!), and this is one of its first programs. The moderator will be EJ Dionne, and the speakers will include former Senator Bob Kerry, Mary Joe Bane, a well known Catholic scholar at the Kennedy School and yours truly. The Seamless Garment Party may make its New York debut that night! The program on "Religion and the Future of Liberal Politics" will be held on Thursday November 11 from 3-5 PMM on the 12th Floor of the Lowenstein Center on the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham University. Open to the public. I will try to post my paper next week.

-Mark