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The prospects of establishing religious progressive social reform movements are contemplated. Several dangerous developments in political-religious relations are highlighted: the emergence of theocratic groups & governments in various Western & Middle Eastern countries; state repression of particular religious groups in various East & South Asian nations; the integration of evangelicalism & fundamentalism within the US; & the increase of conflict amongst different Islamic groups. Nevertheless, some positive trends within these regions are noted including the manifestation of Christian communities throughout certain areas of the People's Republic of China & the growth of Catholicism within developing societies. The thought of Antonio Gramsci & Ernst Bloch is subsequently reviewed to ascertain a progressive strategy for comprehending the politics-religion nexus within different socio-political contexts. Examples of religious-social movement coalitions in the US, eg, the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, are cited to illustrate the possibility of creating a religious progressive approach to realizing social reform. J. W. Parker

A review essay on books by (1) L. Carl Brown, Religion and State: The Muslim Approach to Politics (New York: Columbia U Press, 2000); (2) Anthony Shadid, Legacy of the Prophet: Despots, Democrats, and the New Politics of Islam (Boulder, CO: Westview, 2002); (3) John L. Esposito & Assam Tamimi (Eds), Islam and Secularism in the Middle East (New York: New York U Press, 2000); (4) Abdulaziz Sachedina, The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism (New York: Oxford U Press, 2001); & (5) Robert W. Hefner, Civil Islam: Muslims and Democratization in Indonesia (Princeton, NJ: Princeton U Press, 2000).

According to the author, James Madison, a major architect of American constitutional government, operated from a deep Christian commitment & perspective. First, Madison's family background & education are described, which provided him with Christian theology, republican political theory, & the Calvinist notion of work (in his case a political career) as divine calling. Examples of his historical shifts between Lockean liberal & classical republican ideologies, often viewed as inconsistent, are attributed to his Christian worldview. For him, the main goal of religious freedom was to serve the cause of Christian evangelism. Finally, examples of religious perspective in "The Federalist Papers" & examples of Christian language in his political writings are given. D. Miller

The relationship between religion & politics sometimes referred to, particularly in the West, as church & state is explored in wide-ranging global terms. This involves multidimensional explication of the concept of globalization, as well as its refinement in terms of the notion of globalization. The significance of 9/11 (2001) & subsequent events & circumstances are also briefly inspected. 23 References. Adapted from the source document.

This essay discusses the continued importance that religion holds in African life, not only in terms of numbers of believers, but also regarding the varieties of religious experience and its links with politics and the 'public sphere(s)'. Coinciding with the wave of democratization and economic liberalization efforts since about 1990, a notable growth of the public presence of religion and its political referents in Africa has been witnessed; alongside 'development', religion will remain a hot issue in the future political trajectory of the continent. Its renewed presence in public spheres has also led to new understandings of what religion means and how it figures into both 'world-making' and identity politics. This will prolong the challenges associated with the role and status of religion in the 'secular state model' found in most African countries. Can these states, while 'besieged' by believers, maintain neutrality among diverse worldviews, and if so, how? The paper discusses these issues in a general manner with reference to African examples, some taken from fieldwork by the author, and makes a philosophical argument for the development of a new kind of 'secular state' that can respect the religious commitments of African populations. Adapted from the source document.