Towards a Transformed Communal Spirituality in the West

Religion, Reason and Civil Society in Plato’s Laws

Authors

  • Albert Roland Haig Melbourne College of Divinity

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v21i2.200

Keywords:

Plato, Laws, Religion, Reason, Political, Civil

Abstract

In the Laws Plato rejects the idea that reason alone is capable of providing an adequate foundation for a just social order by motivating ordinary citizens to act rightly. He therefore sees religion (of the right kind) as playing an important complementary role to reason in encouraging and reinforcing virtuous behaviour in the community. This provides a significant implicit critique of modern liberal secularism. However, Plato never adequately comprehends the way in which religions derive their popular persuasive power. Faith and reason need to act together in an integrated manner as the foundation for social order.

Author Biography

  • Albert Roland Haig, Melbourne College of Divinity
    Albert Haig is Director of Research at the Melbourne College of Divinity (BMedSc Hons, University ofNewcastle, 1992; PhD, University of Sydney, 2002; MDiv, Australian College of Theology, 2006). He is also currently completing an MA in philosophy at the University of Sydney, where he was awarded the Andrew Campbell Prize for best postgraduate essay in metaphysics (2006). He has 17 published articles in the field of neuroscience, and 3 in philosophy and religion. His present interests relate to the meaning of religious claims, the concept of analogical description of deity, divine revelation and hermeneutics.

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Published

2009-03-04

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 2 (2008)

Section

Articles

License

Equinox Publishing Ltd.

How to Cite

Haig, A. R. (2009). Towards a Transformed Communal Spirituality in the West: Religion, Reason and Civil Society in Plato’s Laws. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 21(2), 200-216. https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v21i2.200