The New Dark Age: Why Liberals Must Win the Culture Wars

Summary

In an increasingly polarized age, culture wars are everywhere. They are often criticized as superficial or confected disagreements designed to distract us from more important issues. Is this true, or are they rather more fundamental than that?

In this thoughtful and passionate intervention, renowned theologian and moral philosopher Nigel Biggar argues that 'culture wars' are in fact political and moral debates that cut to the very quick of some of the most substantial questions of our time, ranging from the welfare of children to the way we conceive and manage ethnic and cultural differences in diverse societies. The fact that these debates are so often characterized by bad faith, dishonesty, and mindless abuse exposes the rot at the heart of the intellectual culture of the west, in universities, the media, and beyond. An authoritarian desire to suppress or smear opponents and exercise the power of intimidation and coercion is a dramatic illustration of a dangerous reality: our fragile and valuable liberal culture of rational truth-seeking and good faith civility is under threat. A new dark age looms.

Mixing firsthand experience with broad ethical, political, and cultural reflection, this is a powerful and erudite polemic from one of our most respected thinkers.