On March 30, Dr. David Charles Gore will deliver a Rhetoric Unbound lecture. Dr. Gore’s talk, entitled “Sifting through Rhetoric and Politics Again,” will take place at 8.00 p.m. Eastern. The lecture will last 30 minutes and will be followed by both small- and large-group discussion.
Lecture Description
What is the relationship between religion and politics? In a post-Hobbesian world, we tend to define religion in the subordinate position relative to politics. This has unfortunately resulted in a crisis of authority and reduced politics to nothing but sheer power. Even still, this formulation has effectively built the modern, secular nation state as we know it (although secularism was a later, and distinct development). In this lecture, I aim to complicate the modern take that politics should be in the pole position vis-à-vis religion. My aim is not to reverse the polarity of the relationship, but rather to explore what a more robust rhetoric of authority might do for us. A stronger sense of spiritual authority could possibly counteract the forces of nationalism, populism, and demagoguery. A more robust relationship between religion and politics might allow for more light and mutual support to flow between these two domains than is currently possible. In other words, there are many reasons to question the Sovereign-subordinate positionality of politics and religion given to us by Hobbes as well as the friend-foe relationship prevailing between secularism and faith. Questioning this relationship can open new possibilities for spiritual authority and might even kindle a more productive relationship between religion and politics.
Register for Dr. Gore’s Lecture
Click here to register for Dr. Gore’s lecture.
Rhetoric Unbound 