Memo to the President
Scholar offers roadmap for governing a devout and diverse America
November 5, 2009
In an historic year when the country is inaugurating a new president who will be its first black commander in chief, leadership studies scholar Douglas A. Hicks outlines a vision for a more inclusive and tolerant society when it comes to religious beliefs in his new book With God on All Sides: Leadership in a Devout and Diverse America.
With God on All Sides, published by Oxford University Press, provides ideas for how leaders and average citizens can navigate conflicts in public policymaking and civic life that arise from differences in religious beliefs and looks at the kind of leadership needed in an increasingly religiously diverse country.
Hicks discussed the book on Jan. 6 at the Library of Virginia at a free event, outlining ways that both leaders and average citizens can help build religious crossroads to better connect with each other. A reception and book signing followed.
“The book, in a nutshell, concerns how American leadership today can honor the best legacy of religious expression in a society more diverse and complex than ever,” Hicks told the crowd of about 200. He also discussed the role religion played in the recent presidential election.
“We stand at a moment of leadership transition, nationally and locally, that brings two men to office, each with fascinating relationships to their religious communities,” Hicks said. For the president-elect, Hicks has some words of advice for leading the most religiously diverse nation ever. The epilogue is a memo to President Barack Obama outlining how he can “shape the public square in ways that encourages citizens to express their deepest commitments and still get along.” An adapted version of the memo ran as an essay in the Oct. 24 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education.
In the memorandum Hicks encourages Obama to draw deeply on his own faith but to also remember the faith of others and to reach out to all religious traditions and communities. In addition, he offers some tactical points to help the new president translate his suggestions into practice including offering crash courses in religious literacy to key staffers.
“The recent presidential election revealed both the significance and the contested nature of religion in our public life,” Hicks states. “In many ways, however, the real challenge is not campaigning with religion, but governing a religiously diverse country. “
Hicks tells stories of how diverse Americans have transformed public controversies into cases of cooperation. The key, he believes, is to engage one another across lines of difference with a spirit of humility, build communication and trust, and offer an inclusive vision that is true to America’s principles.
“Religious freedom is one of the great traditions for which Americans can be proud,” says Hicks. “But it is a story we have to keep telling in a post-9/11 world, and that requires thoughtful civic and political leadership.”
Other books by Hicks include Religion and the Workplace: Pluralism, Spirituality, Leadership; Inequality and Christian Ethics; and Global Neighbors: Christian Faith and Moral Obligation in Today’s Economy. Hicks is associate professor of leadership studies and religion in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies and executive director of the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond.
Article ID: 546
