Faith and public life

Tim Farron's announcement that he is to relinquish the post of leader of the Liberal Democrats because he seemed to be the "subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in” is rather worrying.

My piece in The Times of Malta (15.VII.2017) discusses the role of faith in public life in view of Farron's resignation. I pay tribute to the late Peter Berger who offers an alternative understanding of secularism and I question whether this attempt to exclude all expressions of faith could be counter-productive both to our liberal democracies and to our understanding of society:

"To exclude someone from occupying public office due to their faith (or lack thereof) is to betray the same principles of pluralism which are the bedrock of liberal democracy. It undermines the principles of freedom of expression and freedom of worship; it is a mindset which is closer to liberal fascism than liberal democracy. How can pluralism thrive if one ignores something which is so important to so many individuals?

A more dangerous threat comes from treating religion as a subculture. While many surveys in the West point to a general decline in mainstream religious practice, expressions of faith on the margins are thriving."

The full article may be read here