Enlightenment Quote by Kurt Andersen
““The great compromise between the American religious impulse and the American Enlightenment in the 1700s permitted any and every conceivable sect to bud and blossom. Fine. But that principle isn’t working so well anymore. The fanciful and religious and cryptoreligious parts have gotten overripe, bursting and spilling their juices over the Enlightenment-reason parts, spoiling our whole barrel. Holders of any belief about anything, especially and incontrovertibly if those beliefs are ascribed to faith, are now expected to be immune from challenge.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Great Compromise,” The Atlantic, 2022
The historic balance between faith and reason is eroding, causing belief systems to clash with rational discourse.
In simple terms: Faith and reason are now at odds.
Key Takeaway
Encourage respectful debate.
Themes
religion
reason
pluralism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political debates
- academic panels
- social media discussions
- interfaith dialogues
Key Concepts
secularism
cognitive bias
public discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- Can belief be examined without hostility?
- How to protect free thought?
A Different Perspective
Some may view all belief as immune to critique.
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