The global resurgence of public religion has major implications for America's vital interests abroad and its security at home. The 1979 Shiite revolution in Iran, the Catholic contribution to the “third wave” of democratization, the 9/11 attacks — all demonstrate just how important a force religion has become. And yet, despite being the most religious nation in the West, the United States has not adjusted well to religious actors in international affairs. Its policy makers and diplomats seem either ignorant or baffled about religious ideas, communities or movements. American security has suffe ... More

The global resurgence of public religion has major implications for America's vital interests abroad and its security at home. The 1979 Shiite revolution in Iran, the Catholic contribution to the “third wave” of democratization, the 9/11 attacks — all demonstrate just how important a force religion has become. And yet, despite being the most religious nation in the West, the United States has not adjusted well to religious actors in international affairs. Its policy makers and diplomats seem either ignorant or baffled about religious ideas, communities or movements. American security has suffered as a result. In the broader Middle East, Russia, India, and elsewhere, U.S. reluctance to engage religious actors and political theologies has handicapped the development of stable democracy. In China, U.S. religious freedom policy has amounted to little more than occasional demands for prisoner releases. In fact, U.S. policy worldwide has been characterized more by an anemic opposition to religious persecution than to the actual advancement of religious freedom. This book examines the origins and nature of U.S. diplomacy's “religion avoidance syndrome,” and offers remedies. Focusing on the importance of religion to human nature, it develops a broad-based concept of religious freedom as necessary to human flourishing and stable democracy. It explores why scholars and policy makers have, in the nation's democracy promotion and religious freedom policies, ignored the salience of religion in human affairs. Three chapters chronicle the author's adventures in the Department of State under two administrations, and in his travels to advance religious liberty. The book ends with extensive examinations of two of the most vexing challenges for U.S. foreign policy — Islam and China. Along the way it provides concrete proposals for correcting the deficiencies of American policy and engaging more effectively a world of faith.