Navigating Post-Truth and Alternative Facts

Religion and Science as Political Theology

Foreword by Lisa Stenmark, Whitney Bauman Introduction by Antje Jackelén Contributions by Paul Allen, Jennifer Baldwin, Whitney Bauman, Craig Boyd, Philip Clayton Author of In Quest of Freedom: The Emergence of Spirit in the Natural Worl, Ted Peters Graduate Theological Union, Adam Pryor, Knut-Willy Sæther, Lisa Stenmark, Graham Walker Edited by Jennifer Baldwin

Publication date:

15 September 2018

Length of book:

198 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

Dimensions:

232x158mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781498580083

Navigating Post-Truth and Alternative Facts: Religion and Science as Political Theology is an edited volume that explores the critical intersection of “religion-and-science” and our contemporary political and social landscape with a tailored eye towards the epistemological and hermeneutical impact of the “post-truth society.” The rise of the post-truth society has specific importance and inherent risk for nearly all academic disciplines and researchers. When personal beliefs regarding climate change trump scientific consensus, research projects are defunded, results are hidden or undermined, and all of us are at a greater vulnerability to extreme weather patterns. When expertise itself becomes suspect, we become a nation lead by fools. When data is overcome by alternative facts and truth in any form is suspect, where is the space for religious and/or scientific scholarship? The central curiosity of this volume is “what is the role of religion and science scholarship in a post-truth society?” This text explores truth, lies, fear, populism, politics, faith, the environment, post modernity, and our shared public life.

Foreword
Lisa Stenmark and Whitney Bauman
Preface: Post-truth, Fake News, and Alternative Facts . . . Oh, My!
Jennifer Baldwin
Introduction: The Reformation and Our Common Responsibility for the World Today
Antje Jackelén

Part I: Finding Truth

1. Modern Political Lying: Science and Religion as Critical Discourse in a Post-Truth World
Lisa Stenmark
2. The Power of Lies and the Lies of Power
Ted Peters
3. The Golden Mean in a Political Darwinism: Science, Religion, and Authenticity
Paul Allen
4. Making America Humble Again: Humility and Magnanimity as Greatness in a Post-veridical World
Craig Boyd

Part II: Affect and the Public Trust

5. Rationality in Play?: A Philosophical Journey in the Current Landscape of Facts and Truth
Knut-Willy Sæther
6. The Anxiety of Alternative Facts: Considering the Role of Religion and Science in Forming Public Values Spanning Political Divisiveness
Adam Pryor
7. Knowledge, Power, and Fear: The Role of Religion and Science in Populism and Our Shared Public Life
Jennifer Baldwin

Part III: Politics, Religion, and the Environment

8. Confessions of a Recovering Objectivist: Religion/Science as Engaged Theology and Environmental Strategy
Philip Clayton
9. Religion and Science as Critical Discourse: Postmodern as Contextual Thinking, not Post-truth
Whitney Bauman
10. The Puppet, the Dwarf, and Political Theologies of Science
Graham Walker

Now that ‘post-truth’ has dictionary status, Pontius Pilate’s cynically rhetorical ‘What is truth?’ arises as a disturbingly real, and really political, question. No longer can academics afford our habitual relativism. What better venue for curating the multiform width of truth-talk than within the dialogue of religion and science? What may seem like a rather esoteric set of transdisciplinary essays bristles from the first page on with vivid and timely examples, communicative clarity, and stunning politico-eco-religio-cultural relevance.