American Views Abroad

 
The US is not unique in mixing religion and politics according to an article in today's IHT www.iht.com/articles/2004/11/07/news/allies.html. A top German diplomat expresses his view that because the religious right is presently seen as a king player in the US, then Germany is the country to engage it.

'It may even surprise Germans, but we have the largest number of theologians in any European parliament,' Karsten Voigt said in an interview. 'Of the four deputy presidents of the Parliament, two of them, a Green and a Social Democrat, studied theology. We have more people on the left side who are theologians than on the right side.'

'The religious right in America combines patriotism with religious fundamentalism which is terra incognita for the Europeans.' One of his main worries is a rise of anti-Europeanism in America as well as anti-Americanism by Europeans. In Europe 'you feel a sense of alienation from the conservative and domestic agenda in the US.' And the view of Europe by non-liberal America is just as pessimistic. His aim is to find some way to establish a dialogue with church leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.

- posted by Gloria @ 4:59 PM