The Naked Public Square
Encyclopedia
The Naked Public Square is a 1984 book written by then-Lutheran pastor Richard John Neuhaus
about the relationship between religion, culture, and politics in the context of 1980s American secularism
.
The book raises the complaint about the way strict separationists read the First Amendment
is that it leaves the public square “naked”, by which it is meant that the public square is now “bare” of religious speech. This, in turn, is thought to foster and encourage public hostility towards religion, something which is actually forbidden by the First Amendment.
The book was very popular among cultural and political Christians, especially those who defend a Christian intellectual culture, as well as those defending pro-life
values. Its social impact was somewhat comparable to William F. Buckley, Jr.
's God and Man at Yale
, which denounced similar socio-political phenomena at major American universities.
Richard John Neuhaus
Richard John Neuhaus was a prominent Christian cleric and writer. Born in Canada, Neuhaus moved to the United States where he became a naturalized United States citizen...
about the relationship between religion, culture, and politics in the context of 1980s American secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
.
The book raises the complaint about the way strict separationists read the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
is that it leaves the public square “naked”, by which it is meant that the public square is now “bare” of religious speech. This, in turn, is thought to foster and encourage public hostility towards religion, something which is actually forbidden by the First Amendment.
The book was very popular among cultural and political Christians, especially those who defend a Christian intellectual culture, as well as those defending pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
values. Its social impact was somewhat comparable to William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
's God and Man at Yale
God and Man at Yale
God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of “Academic Freedom” is a book published in 1951 by William F. Buckley, Jr., who eventually became a leading voice in the American conservative movement in the latter half of the twentieth century....
, which denounced similar socio-political phenomena at major American universities.