A Public Faith

Miroslav Volf
Obamas Speech at University of Cairo 4 June 2009
o Part of attempt to redefine U.S.-Islam relations
o Main theme: deep tensions between them and the wars in Iraqi
and Afghanistan
o Moral and philosophical speech
o Suggested alternative to the clash of civilizations
o Talked about his Christian roots, but father came from Kenyan
family (Muslim)
o His faith does not just differ from Islam; it includes appreciation
for and some of the heritage of Islam
o Complex faith identity as Christian
Both like and unlike faith identity of Muslim
o Argues that the same is true for communities and nations
Intense consequences of complex social identities for U.S.Islam relations, which should be defined by overlaps and
common principles in addition to religious and cultural
differences
o Universal religious rule: we do unto others as we would have do
unto us
This old principle transcends nations and peoples, as well
as religions and ethnicities
o Differences and commonalities count in interreligious relations
If we see only
differences, we will empower those who hate and
promote conflict
commonalities, one side must conform to the other,
and we will distort/dishonor ourselves and others
When we see and respect both differences that give
communities a particular character and commonalities that
bind them, we will honor each and promote the viable
coexistence of all.
o Obamas stance opposed those who argue that we are fated to
disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash (i.e., followers of
Samuel Huntington and his thesis clash of civilizations that was
the ideological underpinning for War on Terror)
Huntington argued that at start of 21st century, cultures
and civilizations with religion at the center have replaced
ideologies as the source of self-understanding and
identification
Civilizations differ, and these differences matter more than
similarities; therefore, civilizations will clash
Thesis is good for war, not for peaceful coexistence.

Obama suggested replacing clash of civilizations with a

vision of the cooperation of those who are different and yet
have much in common
Volfs Opinion
o If Sayyid Qutb speaks for monotheistic religions, then Obamas
pluralistic vision is wishful thinking
Religious and cultural plurality is inevitable in globalized
world, but as a political project pluralism must fail
Qutb aligns beliefs in one God, one political authority, and
one universal moral law, and advocates physical force to
establish His law
If Qutb has correctly expressed monotheisms inner logic,
then monotheism is totalitarian
Because monotheisms dominate modern multi-religious
and pluralistic societies, only option is secular exclusion of
religion from public realm
This would entail massive religious suppression, as it
is against convictions of many to keep their faith or
its influence to themselves
But if Qutb correctly expresses monotheisms political
implications, then the alternative to secular exclusion of
religion from public life is totalitarian saturation of public
life by one religion that imposes its vision of the good life
on everyone
If Qutb is right, the alternatives are
Religious suppression of all religions but one
Secular suppression of all regions
o Both of these are unjust
o Argues that a plausible interpretation of Christianity opposes
religious totalitarianism and supports pluralism
Similar argument may be made from other religions
perspectives
Summary of Argument for Pluralism as a Political Project in
contrast to Qutbs religious totalitarianism
1) All monotheists agree that there is only God
o Most basic monotheistic conviction
o Qutb derives from it a political philosophy of
religious totalitarianism
o Volf: Faith in God Who commands love of
neighbor commits us to pluralism
2) Qutb: That God alone is God means that all
authority of humans over others is idolatry
o Volf: (Political) authority need not be opposed
to Gods authority

o Critical for monotheists is not to reject nondivine authority, but to give ultimate allegiance
to God and obey His commands
3) Qutb: guidance on how to live and organize social
life comes only from God
o Volf: Though Gods revelation is important,
mans understanding of it is limited in that man
is fallible and finite
o While Gods revelation touches everything, it
leaves many important details of life
unregulated
o Since God is Creator and Lord of reality, truth,
goodness, and beauty are found in all cultures,
and knowledge of what man should do can
come from different sources (e.g., sciences,
philosophy, other religions)
4) Qutb: Islam is the name of a group of people
whose manners, ideas and concepts, rules and
regulations, values and criteria, are all derived from
the Islamic source.
o Volf: Though it is important for faith to shape
all spheres of life, the manners, ideas et al.
that shape a community must be only
compatible with (rather than being directly
derived from) Gods revelation
5) Qutb: Gods followers are called to isolate
themselves from communities that ignore Gods
guidance
o Volf: Gods followers are called to live in and
not be of the world
o They are to love God above all else and follow
Jesus as Lord; that is their difference from the
rest of the world
o Christianity is way of life centered on Christ in
many cultures/civilizations
6) Qutb: Since God is one and Creator, His law that
regulates personal and social life always applies
o Volf: Though Gods moral laws are universally
valid, they may be imposed as law of the land
only through democratic processes and not
against the peoples will
7) Qutb: Islams duty is to depose [ignorance of the
divine guidance] from the leadership of man, and to
take the leadership into its own hands and enforce

the particular way of life which is its permanent

feature.
o Volf: Christians have no such duty and
something like a violent Christian revolution
would be unjust, unloving, counterproductive,
and un-Christian.
8) Qutb: Believers are called to witness to faith that
there is only Goda faith that must be embraced
freely since there is no compulsion in religion
o Volf: Faith must be embraced freely and offered
as a gift, not imposed as law
o Because of this, imposition of a social system
or of legislation allegedly based on Gods
revelation must be rejected
o To affirm freedom of religion is to reject
religious totalitarianism and to embrace
pluralism

o Conclusion
Faiths that affirm social pluralism can insert themselves as
one voice among many into public life to promote their
own vision of human flourishing and serve the common
good.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims (and adherents of other
religions) share the mission not just to collaborate in
stemming human misery (e.g., disease, hunger, violated
rights, environment) but also to make plausible in modern
culture that man will flourish only when the love of
pleasure (dominant force in our culture) gives way to
pleasure of love
Religions will disagree on how the transition can be
achieved and on what a pleasurable love means, but
together they can create a climate in which love of
pleasure has been exposed as empty and wherein a debate
is carried on about What makes a for a life worthy of being
called good?