We struggle to understand the complex currents of change in our nation that swirl around us. Among the fundamental aspects of society we see social, economic, and political ideals and arrangements challenged and defended. These issues call for our attention through our religious grounding.

Today’s speaker, William Field, teaches political theory and comparative politics at Rutgers University. Today’s presentation will draw especially on his course Religion and Politics and his seminar Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy. William is active as a member of the Holmdel (NJ) United Church of Christ and in the UCC. He will examine aspects of political ideals which underlie our nation’s political behavior.. He describes his theme this way:

Liberalism: what it has meant, how its adherents and critics tried to correct some initial blind spots, and the ways it and those corrections went astray.

Liberalism: what it means today, how its adherents and critics are still working to correct seeming blind spots, and the way it and those corrections might still be going astray.