Faith in Public Leadership: The Uncertain Future Of PAL-122
by Concerned Group of PAL 122 Students on November 19, 2008 in Features
What does religion have to do with public policy? With public service? With leadership and political change? The short and long answer: a lot.
Faith is not only a private matter; it plays a central role in American public life. It mobilizes citizens into political action, informs their perspectives and choices, and provides a moral compass for policymakers and politicians. Religion, in America, is a pillar of our polity.
As future public servants and decision-makers, it is important to realize and comprehend the deepest convictions of our citizenry – the spiritual foundation of its hopes and dreams. Only then can we make informed decisions and have a positive impact on the people we serve.
The Kennedy School currently offers three courses which explore the intersection among faith, religion and politics.
Religion and Global Politics (IGA-307), taught by Prof. Monica Toft, examines the connection between religion and global conflict. Prof. Bryan Hehir’s Religion and Government: Choices of Morality, Law and Policy (PAL-125) investigates issues of religion and government within the American constitutional framework. Prof. Richard Parker’s Religion, Public Policy and Politics (PAL-122) examines American religious beliefs, and their role in public life. Together, these courses provide students with an alternative political lens through which to view our world.
Despite the popularity of Prof. Parker’s PAL-122, its future is currently uncertain. For the past nine years, Prof. Parker has led students on a journey from 18th century American through present day, analyzing the historical and contemporary role of religion in American politics. A trained economist and a specialist on religion and politics, Prof. Parker is a well-known expert in his field and is widely-published. He is also a favorite among students, receiving outstanding evaluations year after year. As a testament to his impact, students from his class have applied their learning in the real world – one former student advised the Obama campaign on connecting with evangelical voters.
The Kennedy School administration is presently considering several options for PAL-122. While the class has yet to be cancelled, its endangered status has galvanized a number of PAL-122 students into action.
We can’t stress enough the extent to which this course has broadened our understanding of the American voter and the religious components of our public debate. Every student in Prof. Parker’s class – among them journalists, judges, military officers, lawyers, and chaplains – comes to class prepared to be challenged, inspired, and edified.
Karen Gaulke, a PAL-122 and Divinity School student, notes “This class is so central to my program, I referenced it in my application to Harvard. Since I hope to serve as a resource on religion to policy makers, PAL-122 is a fundamental cornerstone of my coursework; my program would be incomplete without it.”
For Gaulke and others, PAL-122 is too important to lose. The course not only offers an additional framework for understanding our political system (including issue politics, campaign tactics, and the challenges of governing), but urges students to understand the deeper, religious motives informing people’s political convictions. No other course at the Kennedy School provides this perspective.
As such, we urge the administration to preserve Prof. Parker’s PAL-122 as a yearly course offering at the Kennedy School.
Comments
Got something to say?
