 |
|
     |
|
|
|
Christopher Insole wants theologians who attack "liberalism" to be more careful about what they're attacking. He favorably cites Robert Song, who distinguishes the constitutional liberalism of Locke and Kant from the laissez-faire liberalism of Hayek from the welfare liberalism of Hobhouse.
Fair enough. But Insole's own definition of liberalism seems to be vulnerable to precisely the theological criticisms that Song and Oliver O'Donovan, among others, attack: "by 'political liberalism' I mean the conviction that politics is ordered to peaceful coexistence (the absence of conflict), and the preservation of liberties of the individual within a pluralistic and tolerant framework, rather than by a search for truth (religious or otherwise), perfection and unity. The crucial ambition of this sort of 'political liberalism' is a refusal to allow public power to enforce on society a substantial and comprehensive conception of the good; driven as it is by its central passion for the liberties of individuals over and above the enthusiasms of other individuals and collectivities."
Isn't this privileging of individual liberties a "substantial . . . conception of the good"? And doesn't the non-pursuit of truth, perfection and unity imply a pursuit of something else - of tolerance and pluralism as the highest political aims? As Alasdair MacIntyre has pointed out, the story of no final stories is still a story; and a political order dedicated to ensuring tolerance is still a political order dedicated to a version of what is "good" for political order.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Monday, October 23, 2006 at 03:23 PM
Permission is given to use material on this site, provided the source is cited, blog entries are republished in full, and the author is notified in advance.
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
