Well before the rise of political evangelicalism, Americans have blurred the church-state divide, whether for spurring major social movements like women’s suffrage or civil rights or for hitting the campaign trail. But how well does democracy mix with God? Europeans worry about radical Islam undermining Western-style liberal democratic government. And in Asia, the development of democracy in some countries, especially China, has been stymied by a long shared history between religion and state. Journalist and scholar Ian Buruma, author of Taming the Gods, visits Zócalo to argue that religion — and particularly the passions it inflames — must be calmed to make democracy work.

 

 

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