Gene Poole
2006-08-22 02:18:05 UTC
Irony and "Islamofascism"
Sightings 8/21/06
Irony and "Islamofascism"
-- Martin E. Marty
Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim excrescences that issue in terrorism are coming
to be called "Islamofascism" among those who want to see the "War on
Terror" be part of "World War III" (or IV). Roger Scruton, author of A
Political Philosophy: Arguments for Conservatism, heads his August 17 Wall
Street Journal column "Islamofascism," and subheads it: "Beware a religion
without irony." He does not tell us to beware of Christianity and Judaism.
They are evidently "with" irony.
Ironically, he cites the rarest ironist, Soren Kierkegaard, as having
argued that Christianity is "informed by a spirit of irony." Scruton
defines the term boldly: "Irony means accepting 'the other,' as someone
other than you." Such an ironic posture is the basis of "every real
negotiation, every offer of peace, every acceptance of the other." Is this
"accepting 'the other'" a mark of Christian history? I'm a friendly enough
"insider" student of Christian history for a half century, and have not
found such acceptance of the other to be characteristic of the Christian
tradition.
Empire, they immediately began persecuting the pagan as "the other." For
1,400 years Christians in power hunted the heretic as "the other." Were
Crusaders and Inquisitors acceptant negotiators? Western and Eastern
Christians and then Catholics and Protestants did not accept "the other."
Islam has rarely been "a religion with irony." To his credit, Scruton
acknowledges Ottoman Turks for their few moments of openness and,
laudably, does not "give up hope for a tolerant Islam." But his contrast
includes some more deceptive advertising. Note how he inserts the
adjective "secular" here: "Christians and Jews are heirs to a long
tradition of secular government, which began under the Roman Empire and
was renewed at the Enlightenment: Human societies should be governed by
human laws, and these laws must take precedence over religious edicts. The
primary duty of citizens is to obey the state; ... all religions must bow
down to the sovereign authority if they are to exist within its
jurisdiction." Okay. But when did Christians teach or practice that,
unless theirs was the established religion within a polity? I will grant
the point that a civil society like our own "subordinates" religion, and
we'd not be a republic did we not do so.
Once more: "Beware a religion without irony." Ironically, it is not
precisely the Christian religion that Scruton credits with being ironic;
no, it is the "secular" tradition. Christians are "heirs to a long
tradition of secular government." Scruton does not say that Christianity
and Judaism produced the tradition of secular government; Christians
ordinarily resisted the Roman Empire and the Enlightenment, though they
creatively exploited the latter, as in the case of the United States. That
many Muslims and many passages in the Qur'an have created gross problems
in the civil order throughout history is plain. That is a subject for
another day, another column. Ironically, many Christians today who want to
"take America back" and Christianize the public order are simply critical
of the gifts of "secular government" and the Enlightenment. Beware also
such a "religion without irony."
Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events,
publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com.
----------
The current Religion and Culture Web Forum features "Religious Identities
of Latin American Immigrants in Chicago: Preliminary Findings from Field
Research" by Andrea Althoff. To read this article, please visit:
http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/webforum/index.shtml.
----------
Sightings comes from the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago
Divinity School.
Submissions policy
Sightings welcomes submissions of 500 to 750 words in length that seek to
illuminate and interpret the forces of faith in a pluralist society.
Previous columns give a good indication of the topical range and tone for
acceptable essays. The editor also encourages new approaches to issues
related to religion and public life.
Attribution
Columns may be quoted or republished in full, with attribution to the
author of the column, Sightings, and the Martin Marty Center at the
University of Chicago Divinity School. Contact information
Please send all inquiries, comments, and submissions to Jeremy Biles,
managing editor of Sightings, at sightings-***@listhost.uchicago.edu.
Subscribe, unsubscribe, or manage your subscription at the Sightings
subscription page.
----------
--
Faithfully,
Gene Poole
http://grace.break.at
God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com
=============
Remove your hat to e-mail me.
Sightings 8/21/06
Irony and "Islamofascism"
-- Martin E. Marty
Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim excrescences that issue in terrorism are coming
to be called "Islamofascism" among those who want to see the "War on
Terror" be part of "World War III" (or IV). Roger Scruton, author of A
Political Philosophy: Arguments for Conservatism, heads his August 17 Wall
Street Journal column "Islamofascism," and subheads it: "Beware a religion
without irony." He does not tell us to beware of Christianity and Judaism.
They are evidently "with" irony.
Ironically, he cites the rarest ironist, Soren Kierkegaard, as having
argued that Christianity is "informed by a spirit of irony." Scruton
defines the term boldly: "Irony means accepting 'the other,' as someone
other than you." Such an ironic posture is the basis of "every real
negotiation, every offer of peace, every acceptance of the other." Is this
"accepting 'the other'" a mark of Christian history? I'm a friendly enough
"insider" student of Christian history for a half century, and have not
found such acceptance of the other to be characteristic of the Christian
tradition.
From the first "Christian" decade, the Jew was the unaccepted "other," as
were the Romans. When the formerly persecuted Christians took over theEmpire, they immediately began persecuting the pagan as "the other." For
1,400 years Christians in power hunted the heretic as "the other." Were
Crusaders and Inquisitors acceptant negotiators? Western and Eastern
Christians and then Catholics and Protestants did not accept "the other."
Islam has rarely been "a religion with irony." To his credit, Scruton
acknowledges Ottoman Turks for their few moments of openness and,
laudably, does not "give up hope for a tolerant Islam." But his contrast
includes some more deceptive advertising. Note how he inserts the
adjective "secular" here: "Christians and Jews are heirs to a long
tradition of secular government, which began under the Roman Empire and
was renewed at the Enlightenment: Human societies should be governed by
human laws, and these laws must take precedence over religious edicts. The
primary duty of citizens is to obey the state; ... all religions must bow
down to the sovereign authority if they are to exist within its
jurisdiction." Okay. But when did Christians teach or practice that,
unless theirs was the established religion within a polity? I will grant
the point that a civil society like our own "subordinates" religion, and
we'd not be a republic did we not do so.
Once more: "Beware a religion without irony." Ironically, it is not
precisely the Christian religion that Scruton credits with being ironic;
no, it is the "secular" tradition. Christians are "heirs to a long
tradition of secular government." Scruton does not say that Christianity
and Judaism produced the tradition of secular government; Christians
ordinarily resisted the Roman Empire and the Enlightenment, though they
creatively exploited the latter, as in the case of the United States. That
many Muslims and many passages in the Qur'an have created gross problems
in the civil order throughout history is plain. That is a subject for
another day, another column. Ironically, many Christians today who want to
"take America back" and Christianize the public order are simply critical
of the gifts of "secular government" and the Enlightenment. Beware also
such a "religion without irony."
Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events,
publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com.
----------
The current Religion and Culture Web Forum features "Religious Identities
of Latin American Immigrants in Chicago: Preliminary Findings from Field
Research" by Andrea Althoff. To read this article, please visit:
http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/webforum/index.shtml.
----------
Sightings comes from the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago
Divinity School.
Submissions policy
Sightings welcomes submissions of 500 to 750 words in length that seek to
illuminate and interpret the forces of faith in a pluralist society.
Previous columns give a good indication of the topical range and tone for
acceptable essays. The editor also encourages new approaches to issues
related to religion and public life.
Attribution
Columns may be quoted or republished in full, with attribution to the
author of the column, Sightings, and the Martin Marty Center at the
University of Chicago Divinity School. Contact information
Please send all inquiries, comments, and submissions to Jeremy Biles,
managing editor of Sightings, at sightings-***@listhost.uchicago.edu.
Subscribe, unsubscribe, or manage your subscription at the Sightings
subscription page.
----------
--
Faithfully,
Gene Poole
http://grace.break.at
God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com
=============
Remove your hat to e-mail me.