23. The Sovereign People

Why did the American Revolution hold where the French case failed? How can a society honour both individual freedom and the common good?

In this episode we explore these and other questions as we look at the notion of "The People" as a commonly held notion distinct from religion and politics. Elements such as agreed-upon traditional practices, unifying spearhead figures, underlying philosophy and theories, the understanding of freedom - all these elements of the "path" to creating a common sense of the people indeed impact the "outcome".

Reflection:

-How would I articulate to a friend how choosing to follow the structures of my faith are not an impingement on my freedom but a fulfilment of it?

-Spend time this week conversing with others about how they understand freedom, and how this interacts with the common good

References:

-Pages of A Secular Age, Charles Taylor: (196-207)

-Sensus Fidei in the Life of the Church, International Theological Commission (2014): https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_20140610_sensus-fidei_en.html

Website:

https://sites.google.com/contemplatingculture