Our democratic republic has been shaped by the separation between church and state. Separation of the two has flourished on the grounds that a public morality should not be determined by private interests, including religious interests (or any other special interests such as class, race, or gender). With the rise of Christian Nationalism and the religious right, the proposition that our morality must be public has been challenged, particularly over women’s rights. Our discussion will address this very real conflict over the possibility of a public morality.

Moderator: Gordon Haist