Constitutional faith
By: Sanford Levinson
Edition: Pbk. reissue, with a new afterword by the author, 2011 ed.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Princeton, N.J; Woodstock
Language: eng
Number of pages: 262
ISBN-13: 9780691152400
Subjects: Constitutional history; Religious aspects; Constitutional law
Description: "This book examines the "constitutional faith" that has, since 1788, been a central component of American "civil religion." By taking seriously the parallel between wholehearted acceptance of the Constitution and religious faith, Sanford Levinson opens up a host of intriguing questions about what it means to be American. While some view the Constitution as the central component of an American religion that serves to unite the social order, Levinson maintains that its sacred role can result in conflict, fragmentation, and even war. To Levinson, the Constitution's value lies in the realm of the discourse it sustains: a uniquely American form of political rhetoric that allows citizens to grapple with every important public issue imaginable."--Pub. desc.