Can Religion and Politics Make Us More Civil and Not Just Angry?

E.J. Dionne Jr. is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post, and University Professor in the Foundations of Democracy and Culture at Georgetown University. Dionne excels in defining the strengths and weaknesses of competing political philosophies. His analysis of American politics and trends of public sentiment is recognized as among the best in the business. He believes America is about to enter a new progressive era, a period of reform in government and renewed civic activism in our communities. Dionne spent fourteen years with the New York Times, reporting on state and local government, national politics, and from around the world, including stints in Paris, Rome, and Beirut. The Los Angeles Times praised his coverage of the Vatican as the best in two decades. In 1990, Dionne joined the Washington Post as a reporter, covering national politics. His best-selling book, Why Americans Hate Politics (Simon & Schuster), was published in 1991. The book won the Los Angeles Times book prize and was a National Book Award nominee. Dionne began his op-ed column for the Post in 1993, and it is syndicated to more than 100 newspapers. He is a regular political commentator on television and radio, including National Public Radio. His other books include They Only Look Dead: Why Progressives Will Dominate the Next Political Era (Simon & Schuster, 1996), Stand Up Fight Back: Republican Toughs, Democratic Wimps, and the Politics of Revenge (Simon & Schuster, 2004), and most recently Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right (Princeton University Press, 2008). He is the series co-editor of the Pew Forum Dialogues on Religion & Public Life, and has also edited or co-edited a number of other volumes, including Community Works: The Revival of Civil Society in America (Brookings Press, 1998), What’s God Got to Do with the American Experiment (Brookings Press, 2000), co-edited with John DiIulio, Jr., Bush v. Gore (Brookings Press, 2000) co-edited with William Kristol, Sacred Places, Civic Purposes: Should Government Help Faith-Based Charity? with Ming Hsu Chen (Brookings Press, 2001), and United We Serve: National Service and the Future of Citizenship with Kayla Meltzer Drogosz and Robert E. Litan (Brookings Press 2003).

This event is sponsored by the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics.