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In his new book, “Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself,” Rabbi Donniel Hartman examines why monotheistic religions have failed to create societies that live up to their ethical ideals. Hartman examines his own faith, Judaism, to answer this question. He finds that the desire to live in a relationship with God often distracts religious believers from their tradition’s core moral truths. The solution, Hartman argues, is to “put God second”—in other words, to value the independent, universal principles of responsibility and decency to other people over acts of religious devotion and ritual piety.

On March 21, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion about Rabbi Hartman’s book. This event is part of the long-running Governing Ideas book series, which is hosted by William A. Galston.

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• Putting God second: How to save religion from itself

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20160321_hartman_religion_transcript

      

 

 

Just 24 hours before Paris was subject to a series of terrorist attacks that killed more than 120 people, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks appeared at Brookings to discuss his exceptionally relevant book, Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence. In the book, Rabbi Sacks, a global religious leader, challenges the assertion that religion is an intrinsic source of violence and describes how theology can be central to combating religious violence and extremism. Through analysis of biblical texts tied to the three Abrahamic faiths, Rabbi Sacks illustrates how religiously-inspired violence stems from a critical misreading of these texts.

In his appearance at Brookings, Rabbi Sacks shared with an enthralled crowd the inspiration behind his timely book. “It was three mis-readings of the modern world that made me think that maybe we’re in trouble,” declared Rabbi Sacks, “and that’s why I wrote Not in God’s Name.”

He went on to explain the three ways in which modern, western civilization has been wrong about religion:

1. There was a belief for centuries that modernization meant westernization and secularization. As Rabbi Sacks described, the 17^th through 20^th centuries were witness to the secularization of knowledge, power, culture, and morality. However, this secularization is not sustainable. According to Rabbi Sacks, the 21^st century will be more religious than the 20^th, even if not one religious believer persuades any skeptic, because “the more intensely you believe religiously, the more children you have.”


2. It was assumed that all religions in the modern world would accommodate and make peace with modernity and that the fringe elements that did not wouldn’t survive. However, the opposite is true. In Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, fringe elements that are resistant to modernity are growing and flourishing.


3. The western world believed that the modern period began in November 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell. In reality, argues Rabbi Sacks, the modern period began months earlier when two critical events occurred: first, the fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran. This was the first example of the transnational power of a fatwa, and the quiet hint of a beginning of a global call to jihad according to Rabbi Sacks. Second—the most important event in modern times—the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan. This told radical Muslims that a handful of dedicated radical mujahidin could cause the humiliating retreat of one of the world’s two super powers. And nine months later, the Soviet Union imploded. According to Rabbi Sacks, this encouraged other radicals to wonder how they could do the same to the world’s other super power, and led them to conclude that they could humiliate the United States in exactly the same way they had humiliated the Soviet Union—in Afghanistan. Rabbi Sacks argues that this notion directly led to 9/11, which was conceived as a means to make America forget to think things through and to stumble blindly into Afghanistan.

We are in a pretty difficult situation and I don’t yet see a clear way through,” concluded Rabbi Sacks after discussing the current state of religion and religious extremism in the world. One of the biggest obstacles to solving these problems, he said, is a lack of new ideas in the battle against extremism. “That is why I wrote Not in God’s Name,” he said, “just to see, can we put new ideas on the table?”

For more on those new ideas, watch the complete footage of this powerful event, hosted as part of Governance Studies’ “Governing Ideas” series.

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• Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence

      

 

 

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In his new book, "Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence," Rabbi Jonathan Sacks examines the recent phenomenon of violent extremism by exploring the origins of violence and its relationship to religion. Rabbi Sacks challenges the assertion that religion is an intrinsic source of violence and describes how theology can be central to combating religious violence and extremism. Through analysis of biblical texts tied to the three Abrahamic faiths, Rabbi Sacks illustrates how religiously-inspired violence stems from a critical misreading of these texts.

On November 12, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion addressing Rabbi Sacks’ book and other important issues related to the roots of religious violence. This event is part of the long-running Governing Ideas book series, which is hosted by William A. Galston.

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• Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence

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• Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20151112_religious_violence_transcript

      

 

 

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In his new book, At Home in Exile: Why Diaspora Is Good for the Jews, Alan Wolfe, professor and director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College, asks a controversial and important question: is the Diaspora a blessing in disguise for the Jewish people? For the first time in history, Wolfe argues, Jews can lead successful, meaningful, secure and culturally rich lives in states in which they are a minority. Living outside Israel affords Jews the opportunity to contribute to global diversity, spread pluralism, and deepen Jews’ commitment to fighting prejudice, Wolfe asserts. This book examines those Jews who lead secure and productive lives outside of Israel, which accounts for nearly half of the world’s Jewry.

On November 18, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion addressing this question and other important issues related to the Diaspora. This event was part of the long-running Governing Ideas book series, which is hosted by William A. Galston.

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• Is the Diaspora Good for the Jews?

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20141118_jewish_diaspora_transcript

      

 

 

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A group of conservative thinkers and legislators are engaged in a reform conservative movement which argues that restraining government growth, while important,  is not enough. Conservatives must offer policy alternatives.  In a new collection of essays, “Room to Grow: Conservative Reforms for a Limited Government and a Thriving Middle Class,” prominent conservatives have published essays outlining policy options for health care, tax, education, regulatory, energy, and safety-net reforms.

On June 26, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston hosted a discussion of the reform conservative movement with some of its most distinguished leaders. Brookings Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne offered his critique of their proposals, based on his essay in the most recent issue of Democracy, “The Reformicons.”

This event was part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

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• The Reformicons: A Discussion of the Reform Conservative Movement

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20140626_reform_conservative_transcript

      

 

 

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Audio

• Political Voice and American Democracy: Unequal and Undemocratic

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20120912_democracy_voice

      

 

 

• September 12, 2012, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

      

 

 

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Debilitating political polarization, crushing public debt, a toothless campaign finance system, dysfunctional schools, crumbling infrastructure, a shifting economic landscape, rising health care costs and declining median household incomes – these are some of the many problems Edward Luce details in his new book, Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2012). Many will argue, however (and many have), that “declinism” has been wrong in the past and America’s ability for self-renewal will prove the alarmists wrong again. Regardless of whether our nation’s problems are insurmountable, Luce poses questions worth serious consideration.

On May 15, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion of Time to Start Thinking, which is based on Luce’s meticulous journalism and bolstered by interviews with senior White House officials, U.S. senators and the chief executives of some of America’s top companies.  Ezra Klein, columnist for the Washington Post joined the conversation.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion. After the program, panelists took audience questions. 

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• Is America in Decline?

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.doc)

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• 20120515_america_decline_transcript_uncorrected

      

 

 

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In a new book, Framed: America’s 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Government (Oxford University Press, March 2012), author Sanford Levinson explores how the procedures and institutional structures laid out by the U.S. Constitution are contributing to dysfunction in modern American politics. Levinson argues that our state constitutions, and especially the U.S Constitution, will require fundamental change in order to effectively respond to contemporary political challenge and to strengthen American democracy.

On March 12, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston will moderate a discussion of Framed. Donald Horowitz, James B. Duke professor of law and political science at Duke University, and Louis Michael Seidman, Carmack Waterhouse professor of constitutional law at Georgetown Law, will offer reactions. This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, participants will take audience questions.

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• America’s Dysfunctional Politics: Is the Constitution to Blame?

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20120312_america_dysfunction

      

 

 

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Congressional approval ratings stand at an all-time low and grassroots movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party are mobilizing citizens to engage in the democratic process and push for change. But do America's young people have the tools they need to assess candidates for public office and influence the policy process? The statistics say no. According to a new book edited by David Feith, young Americans know little about the Bill of Rights, the democratic process, or the civil rights movement. Three of every four high school seniors aren’t proficient in civics, nine of ten aren't proficient in U.S. history, and the problem is aggravated by a lack of civic education at the university level.

On January 9, Brookings hosted a discussion of Teaching America: The Case for Civic Education (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2011). Contributing authors laid out their proposals for strengthening civic education in a discussion moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston. This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Teaching America: The Case for Civic Education

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20110109_civic_education

      

 

 

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Politicians in the United States are expected to embrace their religious tradition while simultaneously keeping it at arms length. Constituents want elected officials to be transparent about their faithbut react critically if religious leaders have undue influence over political decisions. And while Americans are dedicated to the principle of religious liberty, surveys show that the majority also believes America is a Christian nation. What is the proper role of religion in American politics? And how has this role evolved since the nation’s founding?

On October 10, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion of Religion in America: A Political History, by Denis Lacorne, senior research fellow with the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Internationales at Sciences Po, Paris. Lacorne traced two narratives of religion in America: one embracing the strict separation of church and state, the other recognizing faith as a fundamental part of American identity. After Lacorne's presentation, Patrick Deneen, director of The Tocqueville Forum on the Roots of American Democracy at Georgetown University, joined the conversation.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion. After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Secular or Christian? Exploring the Competing Narratives of Religion in America

     

 

 

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At the crux of the health care law enacted last year is the provision requiring individuals to purchase insurance, but opponents of the law wasted no time in filing law suits against it. Five district courts have ruled on the constitutionality of the individual mandate: three in favor and two against. With appellate court hearings already scheduled, these conflicting opinions appear to be on their way to the Supreme Court.

On March 2, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated an Oxford-style debate on the resolution, "the individual mandate is unconstitutional." Arguing in favor of the resolution were David B. Rivkin, Jr. and Ilya Somin. Arguing against it were Walter Dellinger and Simon Lazarus. With the matter as yet unsettled in the courts, this debate puts forth the strongest arguments on both sides of the question.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Health Care Law's Individual Mandate
• Individual Mandate not Justfied by Commerce Clause
• Debate was Solved 180 Years Ago
• Individual Mandate Indicative of Police Powers

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20110302_health_care_constitutionality

     

 

 

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Compared to recent presidential contests, religion played a fairly minor role in the 2008 election, trumped in large part by other pressing issues such as the economy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a new book by religion and politics experts Corwin Smidt and Kevin den Dulk, The Disappearing God Gap? (Oxford University Press, 2010), the authors examined religion’s role in the 2008 presidential campaign.

On March 16, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion of the book’s key findings, based on data gleaned from a national survey conducted by the authors. Brookings Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr. offered his views on what the 2008 presidential election might teach us about religion’s role in the 2010 mid-term elections.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Disappearing God Gap: Religion’s Role in the 2008 Presidential Elections and Beyond

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20100316_religion_politics

     

 

 

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The 2008 presidential primaries were historic, dramatic and, at the same time, baffling to many voters. Who are “super delegates?” And what is the “robot rule,” exactly?

On October 9, the Brookings Institution will host Harvard Public Policy Lecturer Elaine Kamarck for a discussion of her new book, Primary Politics: How Presidential Candidates Have Shaped the Modern Nominating System (Brookings Institution Press, 2009), which explains how the presidential nomination process became the often bewildering system we have today. Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston will moderate a panel discussion with the author, who previously served in the White House under President Bill Clinton; Washington Post political correspondent Dan Balz; and Walter Shapiro, former presidential press secretary, speechwriter and longtime columnist.
 
This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists will take audience questions.

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• Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20091009_presidential_nominations

     

 

 

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On April 16, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion with Alan Wolfe, author of The Future of Liberalism (Knopf, 2009), on how the liberal tradition can influence and illuminate contemporary debates on issues such as immigration, abortion, executive power, religious freedom and free speech. E.J. Dionne, Jr., Brookings senior fellow and author of They Only Look Dead: Why Progressives will Dominate the Next Political Era (Simon & Schuster, 1997), and Ross Douthat, senior editor at The Atlantic and newly appointed columnist for The New York Times, offered their thoughts on liberalism’s roots and how it can be applied to today’s problems.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• The Future of Liberalism

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20090416_liberalism

     

 

 

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In a recent New York Times op-ed, Brookings scholar Jonathan Rauch and co-author David Blankenhorn argue that linking federal civil unions to guarantees of religious freedom is a way to head off a long-term, scorched-earth debate over gay marriage and religious liberty.

On March 13, Rauch and Blankenhorn discussed their proposal at a forum moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston. Robin Wilson, editor of Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty: Emerging Conflicts, discussed the church-state conflicts that same-sex unions may engender. Nathan Diament and Lara Schwarz offered thoughts from religious and gay rights perspectives.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty: A Reconciliation
• Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty: A Reconciliation

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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On March 2, the Brookings Institution hosted Nobel laureate and Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow George A. Akerlof and acclaimed economist Robert J. Shiller for a discussion of their new book, Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why it Matters for Global Capitalism. Akerlof and Shiller assert the necessity of an active government role in economic policymaking by recovering John Maynard Keynes’s insight about "animal spirits," a term used to describe the gloom and despondence that led to the Great Depression and the changing psychology that accompanied recovery. Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a panel discussion with the authors, Brookings Senior Fellow Jeffrey Kling.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, panelists took audience questions.

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 0302_psychology_financial_crisis

     

 

 

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The next administration will face the reality that our 20th century government is no match for our 21st century problems. In The Next Government of the United States: Why Our Institutions Fail Us and How to Fix Them (Norton, January 2009), Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Donald Kettl writes that our current process of governance has fallen out of sync with the increasingly complex problems that plague the U.S. government. Drawing data from crises like the government’s tragic failure to tackle the plight of Hurricane Katrina’s victims, Kettl outlines the big issues: hamstrung bureaucracies, a Congress with tunnel vision and leaders who too often fail to lead.

On December 17, Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston moderated a discussion with Kettl to examine the governance challenges facing the next administration and offer solutions to the policy problems plaguing our government. They were joined by Elaine Kamarck, lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and Jonathan Breul, executive director of the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

This event is part of the Governing Ideas series intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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President-elect Barack Obama now faces the daunting challenge of shaping a new administration. On November 12, William Galston of the Brookings Institution moderated a discussion with David Lewis, author of The Politics of Presidential Appointments: Political Control and Bureaucratic Performance (Princeton University Press, 2008), and Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Kathryn Dunn Tenpas to examine the basis on which presidents pick their political appointees and the impact of their choices on government performance.

This event is part of the “Governing Ideas” series, which is intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, the panelists took audience questions.

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• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20081112_appointments

     

 

 

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In the age of the new media, political reporting has increasingly become image-conscious, sometimes blurring the line between the politician and the pose, real and pseudo-events, news and entertainment. New technologies—from the rise of the Internet and the advent of a 24-hour news cycle—make it easier than ever to capture, manipulate and spread images around the globe. But do photo op politics, in the context of the 2008 election, give voters an authentic view of the candidates?

On September 18, William Galston of the Brookings Institution will moderate a discussion with Kiku Adatto, author of Picture Perfect: Life in the Age of the Photo Op, to explore the expressions and problems of America’s photo op culture. They will be joined by Diana Walker, photojournalist and photographer for Time magazine; Gloria Borger, CNN senior political analyst and political columnist with U.S. News & World Report; and Bill Kovach, former Washington bureau chief of The New York Times and senior counselor for the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism.

This event is part of the “Governing Ideas” series. The series is intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion.

After the program, the panelists will take audience questions.

Transcript

• Transcript (.pdf)

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• 20080918_politics