Faith in Democracy: Framing a Politics of Deep Diversity

Muslim women urging ‘British values’ upon a Conservative government? This is one of many provocative political questions posed in this accessible study.

The author of Faith in Democracy is a specialist in Christian political theology and has written extensively on the different dimensions of church-state relations and religion in the public space in Britain.

His other publications include God and Global Order: The Power of Religion in American Foreign Policy and God and The EU: Faith in the European Project.

"Chaplin offers a well thought through framework by which the legitimate influence of faith on democratic debate and decision making can be better understood"

In his latest book, Jonathan Chaplin offers a carefully argued vision of “Christian democratic pluralism,” and calls for a more informed conversation between religion and democracy.

He believes this can be enriched by the active participation of minority faiths in the shared pursuit of the common good and provides a programmatic model of constructive faith-based engagement in British democratic politics.

Enlarging the role of religion in the public space alarms many secular-minded people who  are suspicious of theocratic tendencies entering political institutions by stealth, while many religious minorities feel marginalised by what they view as an encroaching ‘secularist hegemony.’

Chaplin offers a well thought through framework by which the legitimate influence of faith on democratic debate and decision making can be better understood and clearly has spent much time reflecting on the multidimensional aspects to complex questions around democracy, secularism, pluralism and public faith.

The author makes his argument over three sections, in the first, he composes a narrative account of constitutional democracy, its operational mechanisms and moral purpose.

He suggests a functioning democracy needs to be “constitutional” and enables the diffusion of power so that diverse views and concerns can be articulated and challenged while allowing people to give or withhold consent.

This is a particularly pressing need given the current government has passed the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which will restrict the right to freedom of assembly and expression and make it more difficult to hold the government to account in various areas.

The next section, takes readers through some of the main debates around the idea and implementation of the ‘secular’, ‘post-secular’, ‘secularism’ and ‘secularization’ and makes nuanced distinctions between them. He is critical of illiberal forms of secularism such as is practised in France.

Instead, he articulates what he calls a “jurisdictional secularism,” an iteration that "holds that the state should adopt an official stance of impartiality towards the plural faiths of its people and guarantee extensive religious freedom for all by creating equal space for their self-expression and democratic activity in the public square."

"Britain should resist the illiberal French version of secularism which has impinged on the public expression of Islam in various ways and resulted in a form of secularity that has been particularly divisive for French society"

The chapters that make the final section articulate the features of the author’s vision for Christian democratic pluralism and its political reasoning.

Chaplin discusses how ‘faithful speech’, ‘faithful conscience’ and ‘faithful association’ of religious bodies can be accommodated in the provision of public services.  

Of particular interest to me is the author’s conviction that communities of faith can potentially make a significant contribution to this project of democratic renewal.

A similar point was made by the author of a previously reviewed book on how the inclusion of religion in public reasoning as a feature of political liberalism enables a truly inclusive version of democracy that accommodates the expression of faith-based arguments in the public sphere. 

Chaplin draws on a number of legal cases and reflects on controversial legal and political decisions and makes them relevant and illuminating.

Chaplin takes an unapologetically theological perspective –though very distant from those who intend to revive the idea of a “Christian nation”.

The author cites a number of instances of why respecting diversity are important to minority faiths in how the state could better accommodate non-Christian religious holidays, clothing, dietary practices, symbols and ethical duties while maintaining neutrality. 

He recommends that Britain should resist the illiberal French version of secularism which has impinged on the public expression of Islam in various ways and resulted in a form of secularity that has been particularly divisive for French society and has weaponised into state-sanctioned Islamophobia.

Chaplin also provides  a well-informed discussion on shariah councils, the government’s review and concludes that the ‘right of Muslims to utilize religiously informed mediation or arbitration should be maintained as an affirmation of Britain’s commitment to equal religious freedom and freedom of association.’

He also offers a perceptive reading of the diverse nature of Muslim civil society and recognises the need to give them a respectful public hearing in light of often negative media representation.

Relations between the state and Muslim organisations have been tense over the last fifteen years and made worse by the toxic influence of think-tanks close to the Conservative government such as Policy Exchange,  who have recently singled out  Muslim advocacy groups and accused them of enabling terrorism because they are critical of the  Prevent security strategy.

This is despite numerous academic experts and human rights agencies who have opposed Prevent and called for it to be scrapped.

Chaplin contrasts the fragile influence of Muslim platforms with the privileged position and influence of the Christian sector and reiterates his vision of a capacious Christian democratic pluralism.

Chaplin covers much ground in this systematically presented book and makes a persuasive argument for a “politics of deep diversity” and is keen to open conversational spaces on contested political concepts that engender possibilities for faith-motivated democratic commitment.

His book will appeal to people of non-Christian backgrounds and deserves serious engagement by policymakers, people working in interfaith relations and anyone interested in serious thinking about the role of religion, minorities and the public sphere.

Dr Sadek Hamid is an academic who has written widely about British Muslims. He is the author of  Sufis, Salafis and Islamists: The Contested Ground of British Islamic Activism.

Follow him on Twitter: @SadekHamid