by Dennis Lacorne (Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris)
Having his interest in the formation of American national identity,
Lacorne tries to demonstrate that religion is always central in US
political history, even when the perspective is a secular one. He
asserts that American "secularism is always defined against a
background of religion."
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Lacorne tried to demonstrate the important role Enlightement
thoughts played through the Founding Fathers for them to establish
the separation between church and state in 18th century, especially
focusing upon Jefferson's adoption of Voltaire. I basically agree
with his thesis but at the same time, there had been a long
Presbyterian efforts for the separation between church and states
since the time of Reformation Europe in Geneva and in England in
the 16th century. Although I asked him how he evaluates efforts by
the Calvinist successors of the Reformation in Europe and in England,
his response was not clear on this point. He wanted to connect any
such idea of separation with Enlightenment. I asked about Madison's
Presbyterian background although he did not take it much seriously.
Instead he said there was Lockian influence to Madison's thought.
After the seminer we went to a Chinese restaurant in Shibuya then to
a nice quiet pub in the Center-gai. (Good to know there's a quiet
place in the midst of the Shibuya Center-gai!) Discussion continued
at the dinner table as well. Prof. Lacorne will stay in Japan for
about a month.
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