In the past few years, a new intellectual trend has appeared among America’s Christian conservatives: “post-liberalism.” Its pioneers include a handful of Catholic scholars called “integralists”—who want to integrate the state and religion—and other public figures known as “national conservatives.” These post-liberals blame some social ills and social change that they see as problematic on the classical liberal tradition that constitutes the very founding principles of the United States: individual liberty, religious freedom, free markets, and separation of church and state. Kevin Vallier will critique post-liberals using insights partly drawn from Catholic theology and explain why a reintegration of state and religion is good for neither the state, nor religion, nor liberty. Mustafa Akyol and Mark Tooley will share their thoughts on liberalism from Islamic and Protestant perspectives.

Lunch to follow.