FRIDAY UPDATE: Faith in Public LIVE: The common good in religion and politics

"The common good" is a staple of both political rhetoric and religious social thought. In the already-underway 2008 campaign, it is a frequent refrain on the stump and a potentially overarching frame for a progressive agenda. But what are the roots of "the common good," and what does it mean, both theologically and politically?

Discussing these questions are Nathan Newman, a widely published author and Policy Director for the Progressive States Network, a nonprofit that supports state legislative campaigns for economic and social justice; Sally Steenland, Senior Advisor to the Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative at the Center for American Progress, and co-editor of Pursuing The Global Common Good; James Salt, Director of Organizing at Catholics United, and former consultant to political campaigns involving Catholic strategy; and David Buckley, co-editor of Pursuing The Global Common Good and former Program Manager at Faith In Public Life.

David Buckley

I don't need another post on the topic (I don't think!), but wanted to respond with a few quick thoughts to Nathan's well-put point on shared sacrifice. You're exactly right that average Americans are already bearing too many of our national burden; just look at the socio-economic profile of those giving the last full measure in Iraq and those who are having jobs shipped overseas. I think the current disparity in who bears the sacrifices in this country is precisely the kind of opening that could be used to articulate why we need a real common good and how it would differ from the policies that we've seen for the past 7 years.

I could be wrong, but I also think that the common good tradition presents substantial resources for getting at your point about there being essential human needs that only government can meet. The radicalness of the common good is precisely that it calls every aspect of human society (not just personal morality) to work for a shared just goal. I'd also argue that even if we need to debate with conservatives about the government-private sector balance for solving these problems, it's better than talking within their family values frame until the cows come home.

Nathan Newman

Putting the idea of sacrifice at the center of the definition of the common good seems problematic to me. The first question is why average folks should be asked to sacrifice anything, when a tiny minority is doing so well for themselves at the expense of the many. If the common good has no room for reasonable questions of what we can call "class war" questions, I become skeptical that the common good will become an excuse to shield the economic elite from hard questions.

But the second problem with talk of sacrifice is the public versus private distinction I highlighted in my first post. Most average voters already ARE sacrificing, for their kids, for sick relatives, for their communities. Many look to government for relief from those sacrifices and are not necessarily going to be thrilled to be told by common good politicians that they need to sacrifice some more.

James, the John Kennedy quote came from a specific time-- after a decade or so when family wages had doubled and the issue of taking a little bit of that additional rise of standard of living to help others was an easier thing to contemplate. We are at a very different point where wages have largely stagnated for decades, health costs are driving many families into bankruptcy, and speculators and rising home prices have left many families seeing their homes at foreclosure auctions. This at the same time that they watch incredible wealth sloshing around the globe.

So a common good based on public sacrifice by ordinary voters seems a bad place to be.

But there is an alternative discussion of common good, one that first does acknowledge that the common good means that a few individuals should not be able to exploit the commons for extreme private profit. The first step is to return those unfair elite skimmings from the commons -- whether financial, environmental or social -- back to the public as a whole. Once that is done, we can have the real discussion of the common good, which is less about "sacrifice" -- which people feel more comfortable in their private lives -- than about understanding that there are many things we all benefit from that are done together than done separately.

Public infrastructure is the most obvious-- mass transit to save the environment can't be bought on the margins; it needs a public commitment to shift a whole set of development patterns to make the network work for everyone. But the end result is a better life and a better planet. Seeing that we need to invest in our communities so all benefit from the wealth thereby produced is a broad sense of the common good that we need more progressives to endorse, and not run away from the idea that the government does many things that the market just flat out fails at.

Ideologically, that's the real conflict here. Many believe all that is needed can be produced by market exchange, my individual act traded for your individual act. And if "sacrifice" is mentioned, they see individual charitable acts as all that is necessary.

But the progressive view of the common good is that individual markets and individual charity are not enough. We need to understand that society is more than the sum of its parts, that we create collectively what never gets produced through the accumulation of individual acts. That is the deep debate and if the word "common good" just obscures that debate over the debate between market versus public planning by government, than it will do a disservice to the real debate needed.

Nathan

*UPDATED* Faith in Public LIVE: Progressives and Evangelicals Together Speak Out

UPDATES FROM CONTRIBUTORS TODAY POSTED IN COMMENTS!

There's been a lot of buzz in the media this year about the broadening of the evangelical agenda, and attempts by some (non-evangelical)* progressives to reach out to evangelicals and vice versa. Evangelicals who have sought to broaden the agenda to include issues like poverty, global AIDS, human rights and torture, immigration and global warming have been fiercely attacked by some conservatives who claim they are distracting attention away from issues like abortion and gay marriage. On the other hand, some progressives have dismissed the efforts of religious progressives to reach out to evangelicals around these issues, accusing them of seeking meaningless common ground and ignoring core progressive issues, or of attempting to build a conservative religious coalition within the Democratic party.

This week, we are asking evangelicals who are reaching out to progressives and progressives who are reaching out to evangelicals to speak for themselves.

Robby Jones a religion scholar and consultant to national progressive organizations; Randy Brinson and Pastor Bill Devlin of Redeem the Vote; Shaun Casey of Wesley Theological Seminary and Center for American Progress; Rev. Susan Thistlethwaite of Chicago Theological Seminary; and Rev. Rich Killmer of National Religious Campaign Against Torture weigh in...

Faith in Public LIVE Paul Waldman, Jeff Sharlet and Dan Schultz, Part 10

Faith in Public LIVE is back, this time discussing a contentious issue in faith and politics: bias in media coverage of progressives' religious beliefs and outreach efforts. Our first blogger, Paul Waldman, is a senior fellow at Media Matters and a regular contributor to TAPPED. Jeff Sharlet is editor of The Revealer and co-author of Killing The Buddha: A Heretic's Bible. Dan Schultz, aka "Pastor Dan," is co-founder of Street Prophets and an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

Part 10: Dan: Christian's theological and political differences demand thorough analysis

Part 9: Jeff on self-definition

Part 8: Paul on getting results with reporters by playing hardball

Part 7: Dan: "sometimes you have to be willing to throw a sharp elbow or two to get your message heard."

Part 6: Jeff: "Paul, where can I find these progressives who 'reveal too much'? Sounds like a good story."

Part 5: Paul: "there is a higher degree of professionalism on the right when it comes to dealing with the media."

Part 4: Jeff to progressives: "Common grounder activists are annoying. Common grounder journalists are deadly."

Part 3: Dan sees lack of context, independence and accuracy in Time stories on faith in politics.

Part 2: Jeff calls for diligent skepticism of both progressives and conservatives.

Part 1: Paul provides examples and analysis of media bias against religious progressives.

Faith in Public LIVE Chuck Gutenson, Barbara Lerman-Golomb and Sally Bingham, Part 9

Faith in Public LIVE is back, this time discussing one of the hottest issues for the religious community today: the environment. Chuck Gutenson is the lead blogger at Imitatio Christi, and an evangelical theologian and ethicists at Asbury Theological Seminary, Barbara Lerman-Golomb is the Executive Director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) and is the coordinator for the Greening Synagogues project, and Sally Bingham is the President of the Regeneration Project which runs the Interfaith Power and Light campaign

Faith in Public LIVE Eric Sapp, Rabbi Andy Bachman and Jamison Foser, Part 7

Faith in Public LIVE returns to dissect June 4's Sojourners candidate faith forum. Eric Sapp of Common Good Strategies, Rabbi Andy Bachman, a private blogger and Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Elohim, and Jamison Foser of Media Matters, will trade posts on what the event means for religion and politics in America, and how it gets covered in the mainstream media

Part 7: Eric Sapp: Does Faith Need Public Life?

Part 6: Jamison Foser: Stop reinforcing the media's flawed assumptions

Part 5: Rabbi Andy Bachman: Stop Talking, Start Walking

Faith in Public LIVE Harry Knox, Aaron Krager, and Mike Lee: Part 8

Faith in Public LIVE returns with a lively exchange between two leading voices on religion and politics. Harry Knox, Director of the Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign, and Aaron Krager and Mike Lee, founders of the blog Faithfully Liberal, will trade posts on proposition that's been a subject of lively recent debate: In outreach to people of faith, progressives should not hesitate to talk openly about advocating for GLBT rights.

Part 8: Aaron Krager and Mike Lee on Uniting All of the Fights for Justice

Faith in Public LIVE Dr. Nazir Khaja and Islamoyankee: Islamophobia Rising, Part 6

Remember last month's exchange on Islamophobia and challenges facing the American Muslim community internally? Our writers are back to build on that conversation and break new ground. Dr. Nazir Khaja of the Islamic Information Service and FPL board member and blogger Islamoyankee of Islamicate will take on this subject and more throughout this week!

Click below for the latest post...

Part 6: Islamoyankee on the Reformation vs. Renaissance

Faith in Public LIVE, Let Justice Roll's Rev. Paul Sherry on why "a truly religious person is by definition a political person."

Rev. Paul Sherry, National Coordinator of the Let Justice Roll Campaign, and Rabbi Jill Jacobs, blogger extraordinaire from JSpot and Director of Education for the Jewish Funds for Justice, a public operating foundation that creates a just, fair, and compassionate America, focus our attention this week on one of the most important and successful campaigns in our country today: the struggle for just wages. See inside as Paul writes on how Let Justice Roll moves people of faith from principle to action.

Faith in Public LIVE Dr. Bob Edgar and Pastor Dan Part 9: Dr. Edgar Closes with a Rosh HaShanah Prayer

Our week-long Faith in Public LIVE exchange closes with Rosh HaShanah thoughts from Dr. Edgar. Earlier parts of the exchange can be found inside this post!

UPDATE: Rev. Bob Edgar Goes to the Right Wing Airwaves

Bill O'Reilly must not have been ready for Bob's message, because they've had to cancel for today. Hopefully Rev. Edgar will get to make his return soon. Next week, Faith in Public LIVE will return with Rev. Bob Edgar exchanging posts with Pastor Dan of Street Prophets. Rev. Edgar has just released his latest book, Middle Church, in which he talks about the common ground religious values that unite Americans. This afternoon he'll go to one of the nation's most conservative media sources to defend his view. Details inside!

Faith in Public Live: Prescott Wraps The Discussion

Dear Randall and David, This has been a very enjoyable exchange. I think Randall is right about hitting a raw nerve with the mention of theocracy. As Shakespeare had a character say, "Me thinks they doth protest too much!"

Faith in Public Live Part 9: Balmer on Theocracy Hitting a Nerve

I supposed there’s not much that can properly be identified as amusing about the actions and agenda of the Religious Right these days – especially their cooperation with the present administration to compromise civil liberties, prosecute an unjust war in Iraq and condone the torture of those the administration has designated “enemy combatants.� But allow me to inject a note of levity (well, almost) into this final posting.

Faith in Public Live Part 8: Thoughts on Steinfels in American Prospect?

Dear Randall and Bruce, Again, thanks much for this exchange. We've been going for the better part of a week now, and it's still fascinating stuff. We're due to wrap up soon, and was wondering if you two could give us some closing thoughts, and perhaps consider the following excerpt from Peter Steinfels' book review essay in the latest edition of the American Prospect.

Faith in Public Live Part 7: Prescott on Christian Nationalism

Mainstream Baptist Dr. Bruce Prescott on the rise of Christian Nationalism in the early 1970s.

Faith in Public Live, Part 6: Balmer on the Origins of the Religious Right

The causes you cite behind the rise of the Religious Right – the civil rights movement, Francis Schaeffer, Reconstructionism, and the like – are absolutely correct, though I think we can push it back even farther...

Faith in Public Live Part 5: Mainstream Baptist Posts Back

Why did the message of those who hi-jacked the Baptist tradition find such fertile ground? Bruce Prescott suggests a few answers, including the Civil Rights Movement. And the new stirrings that may be reason for hope...

Faith in Public Live Part 4: Balmer and the Good Baptists Still Left

Randall Balmer returns from a weekend on the book tour trail with reminders of the real Baptists who are ready to hear a counter-point to the Christian Right's divisive take on religion and politics.

The Radical Right, Again Attacking Families

For the second time in less than a month, radical right leaders (those champions of family values) have used the family of a political candidate as a target for attack. In late July it was the shameful questioning of the sexual orientation of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland and his wife. The most recent attack has taken place in Arkansas at the hands of the American Family Association. This email, sent to the AFA’s supporters last week, speaks for itself (hat-tip to the Arkansas Times for the find):

If you are a member of the United Methodist Church, I felt you would be interested in the two sermons preached by Rev. Betsy Singleton, pastor of Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church in Little Rock. If you are not a United Methodist, please forward this to any friends you may have who are United Methodist.

Rev. Singleton is probably better known as being the wife of U.S. Representative Vic Snyder.

Sermon: Is Homosexuality a Sin? – click here

Sermon: Is Christianity the Only Way? – click here

Sincerely, Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association

The AFA can’t come right out and campaign against Rep. Snyder, so they drop this hint to their base as election season approaches. As usual, the willingness of these groups to manipulate religion for partisan gain seems to know no bounds.

Faith in Public Live Part 3: Buckley on Mainstream Baptist's Good Question

Dear Randall and Bruce, First of all, thanks to you both for taking the time to join in this exchange. You're both experts in this field, so it's a real treat to have you bouncing ideas off of one another. I have a feeling that the two of you agree on a good many things about the current state of Baptist thought on the First Amendment. So allow me to throw a question or two out there that may stir the pot a bit and give us food for thought over the weekend. Must be hungry; too many food metaphors...

Faith in Public Live Part 2: Mainstream Baptist on Revisionist History

Dear Randall, For lifelong Baptists like myself, it is hard to believe that the Baptist legacy as advocates for liberty of conscience and separation of church and state could be so thoroughly disowned by the descendants of those who literally paid with their own blood to give it to later generations.

Faith in Public Live: Randall Balmer and Mainstream Baptist

Starting today and continuing through early next week, Faith in Public Live is excited to host an exchange between two of the nation's leading experts on defending the First Amendment. Randall Balmer, professor of American religious history at Barnard College, Columbia University, is the author, most recently, of Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America: An Evangelical’s Lament (Basic Books). Bruce Prescott blogs under the name Mainstream Baptist,, as well as at the Christian Alliance for Progress and Talk2Action, and is a leading national activist on defending the separation of church and state. Click below to see Randal open the conversation...

Faith in Public LIVE: XPatriated Texan Wraps It Up (Part 8)

Since both David and Amy are busy today, I'll take on the task of trying to wrap things up. I believe I can summarize Amy's position as this:

Faith in Public LIVE: XPatriated Texan on Spending Time Wisely and Developing an Ideological Core (Part 7)

Dear Amy and David, Don't worry about the optimism, Amy. We all need plenty of it! Actually, I'm fairly optimistic as well, I guess I just look for boulders on the highway too much.

Faith in Public LIVE: Sullivan on Honest Disagreement and Prevention First (Part 6)

Could pro-choice candidates replicate Casey's engagement with the Pennsylvania Pastors Network? How might Prevention First reshape America's abortion debate? And what does this all have to do with pro-wrestling? Amy continues the discussion.

Faith in Public LIVE: XPatriated Texan on Casey, Kaine, and Deviation (Part 5)

Thurman Hart of XPatriated Texan continues the exchange with Amy Sullivan and David Buckley

Faith in Public LIVE: David Buckley on the Middle Ground (Part 4)

We're coming through Day 2 of the exchange, and I think it's been stimulating stuff so far. Before Thurman weighs in, I want to add a few thoughts on the difficulties and opportunities when articulating policies that look for the middle ground.

Faith in Public LIVE: Sullivan's Response (Part 3)

Thanks so much for your thoughtful post yesterday, Thurman. It's such a pleasure to discuss these topics civilly on the web! We agree on a number of areas, but I did want to clarify a few things that I wrote yesterday, raise some questions about several of your points as well, and get your thoughts on a question that has been puzzling me for a while.

Faith in Public LIVE: XPatriated Texan Responds (Part 2)

I think Amy has hit upon a wonderful campaign to use as an example, as well as bringing up an issue of no small importance. . .Casey has been able to neutralize what might have been a pivotal support group for Santorum simply by engaging them directly. But it is also necessary to understand why he has been able to do so.

Faith in Public LIVE: Amy Sullivan, XPatriated Texan and David Buckley (Part 1)

Introducing Faith in Public LIVE: exchanges between bloggers and a noted leaders in faith and public policy. Check back and comment throughout the week as this exchange grows, and visit this space every week to see a new series of conversations and debates. This first edition kicks off with thoughts from Amy Sullivan, editor of Washington Monthly and author of an upcoming book on faith in politics. She writes about the Casey campaign, the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, and the potential benefits of just showing up. Check back soon to see responses from Thurman Hart of XPatriated Texan and David Buckley of FPL.

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