The United States: A "theodemocracy"? The ambiguous relationship between religion and politics

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

9 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

01/16/2009

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Political science

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Summary :

Introduction.
Emphasis on the complex relationship between Rome and religion.
This political model.
1. First evoked by Josephus Flavius.
2. The concept of theocracy which could be linked to the Roman Empire.
The complex relationship between religion and politics in the United States of America.
1. Roots.
2. The idea of a people invested in a mission.
3. The ambiguity concerning the influence of the Pilgrim Fathers over the American political culture.
4. 'Wall of separation between church and state'.
5. The foundations of the American democratic regime.
Separation between Church and State.
1. Establishment.
2. The complexity of the relationship between religion and politics.
3. The relationship between religious and political discourses.
4. The tendency of the Presidents of the United States to give a relative importance to religion.
Conclusion.
Bibliography.

Abstract

As Julia Gronnevet said, "comparing the united states to the Roman Empire is a popular pastime" . For instance, in his book entitled Are we Rome?: the Fall of an Empire and the Fate of America (2007), Cullen Murphy established some parallels between these two political entities both perceived, in their days, as the leading world economic power and the principle military power. He wrote that "Americans have been casting eyes back to ancient Rome since before the Revolution" . In effect, like Rome, the united states of America are a vast multicultural state burdened with an expansive and overstretched military which dominate the world with a messianic sense of global mission. Moreover, many historians emphasized the complex relationship between Rome and religion. First of all, the prosperity of this empire was based on the pax deorum. At the time of the foundation of this city by Romulus, gods gave their agreement to the first king of Rome showing that they were in favor of this new human power and that they would provide this people with an indestructible support. Therefore, each event unfavorable to Rome was perceived as resulting from an offense to the gods which should be repaired.