Why America Needs Religion: Secular Modernity and Its Discontents / Edition 1

by Guenter Lewy

Overview

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable.

What is wrong with America? It has often called itself a Christian nation, yet its social and moral problems are legion. The increasing rates of crime, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, sexual promiscuity, and divorce are frequently linked to the declining importance of religious belief. But is there more than a presumed link between the strength of personal religiousness and moral behavior? Yes, says Guenter Lewy, and the large quantity of empirical data in existence which establishes that link ought to move people — Christians and non-Christians alike — to sit up and take note.

In this trenchant analysis of the moral decline of modern America, Lewy describes the moral crisis caused by secular modernity and points to the role of religiousness — especially Christian religiousness — as a necessary bulwark against today's social ills. This work is all the more intriguing in that Lewy is an agnostic who has nonetheless concluded that a society that cuts itself off from the religious roots of its moral heritage is doomed to decline.

Lewy traces the rise of secularism in Western society, focusing particularly on the cult of individualism, and describes the social consequences of the weakened role of religion. He demonstrates that the crisis of the family and the rise of the underclass in our inner cities are linked to the decline of traditional values and shows, on the basis of surveys and other empirical data, that genuine religiousness can ward off some of the corrosive effects of modernity. Lewy concludes by calling on Christians, adherents of other faiths, and true humanists to join forces in the struggle to reverse the current ethos of radical individualism that threatens the moral integrity of our society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802841629
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/08/1996
Pages:	172
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Guenter Lewy is professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His other books include Religion and Revolution and Peace and Revolution: The Moral Crisis of American Pacifism

Table of Contents

	Preface	ix
1.	Christianity and Western Civilization: A Historical Prologue	1
	The Case against Christianity	2
	The Case for Christianity	8
	Ambivalence and Moral Ambiguity	12
	The Unattainable Moral Balance Sheet	19
2.	The Rise of Secularism	23
	The Heritage of the Enlightenment	25
	Secular Humanism	29
3.	The Culture of Modernity and Its Social Consequences	43
	The Decline of the Family	43
	The Problem of the Underclass	54
	Conclusion	61
4.	Is America Becoming a More Secular Society?	65
	Church Membership and Attendance	67
	Values and Beliefs	74
	The Role of Age and Education	77
	Conclusion	80
5.	Religiousness and Moral Conduct: Are Believing Christians Different?	87
	Juvenile Delinquency	91
	Adult Crime	95
	Prejudice and Intolerance	99
	Single Parenthood among Teenagers	103
	Divorce	107
	Conclusion	112
6.	The Need for Religiousness	117
	The Importance of Moral Education	120
	The Role of the Churches and Personal Discipline	124
	Religion and Morality: A Personal Assessment	131
	Selected Bibliography	147
	Index	155

Editorial Reviews

George Weigel
—Ethics and Public Policy Center
"Those who accept Lewy's invitation to accompany him on this journey — whether they agree with his particular judgments or not — will be enriched by their encounter with a courageous man strong enough to say, 'I've changed my mind.'"

Marvin Kohl
—State University of New York College at Fredonia
"A most engaging, important, and provocative book."

From the Publisher

Lewy (emeritus, Univ. of Massachusetts), a self-proclaimed agnostic, set about to write a book that refuted the thesis that the crisis of unbelief in America has contributed to the moral decline of the United States. Instead, he came to believe that the thesis was largely true. Although he uses the general term of religion in the title, he concentrates on Christianity, the religion professed by the majority of Americans. He deals chapter by chapter with the contribution of Christianity to Western civilization; the rise of secularism in the forms of the Enlightenment and secular humanism; whether or not America has indeed become a more secular society; and the links between religion and morality. Lewy concludes that morality is indeed influenced by religion although one can have these moral beliefs without espousing any particular religion. His work is well researched and cites many statistical studies; however, the lack of an index could be a drawback for researchers. Recommended for scholars and informed lay readers.Cynthia L. Peterson, Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Ctr. at Dallas

Library Journal