Reformation Adam J White Summary

A current, but certainly not new, public policy issue is the debate that follows when a clash occurs between government and religion. In Obama’s Reformation, Adam J. White examines in detail many of the current debates ongoing in America today; from the current administration’s assault on Christian values, to what it means to the average citizen, and what we are likely to see in the near future. Socrates gave the philosophy of a democratic form of government to us, via Plato’s Republic. Aristotle, in the Rhetoric, taught us “the preservation of the city lies within its laws”. In Politics, Aristotle defined the city as “a partnership of human beings who are free and equal and ‘differing in kind’”. St. Augustine modified Plato’s philosophy to “suit the requirements of the faith… and provide a common ground on which believer and non believers can meet”. St. Aquinas did the same for the teachings of …show more content…
However, as Mr. White describes it, either the majority of the conflicts come primarily from his administration agencies creating new rules or the judges he has appointed creating new rights. Mr. White proceeds to run through a long list of examples of agency actions and court cases where the government’s abuse of power is attempting to interfere with religious liberty. In the first place, he starts with the impending threat of loss of tax-exempt status for religious organizations that fail to honor same-sex marriage in states that allow them. Furthermore, he examines the recent Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case, where the Affordable Care Act attempted to force employers to supply abortifacient contraceptives. In spite of that loss, there are numerous other cases pending where the agency is still attempting to force religious organizations to participate directly in providing or paying for abortifacient