S tout, R awls, and the Idea of Public Reason

J effrey S tout claims that J ohn R awls's idea of public reason ( IPR ) has contributed to a C hristian backlash against liberalism. This essay argues that those whom S tout calls “antiliberal traditionalists” have misunderstood R awls in important ways, and goes on to consider S tout's own critiques of the IPR . While R awls's idea is often interpreted as a blanket prohibition on religious reasoning outside church and home, the essay will show that the very viability of the IPR depends upon a rich culture of deliberation in which all forms of reasoning can be put forth for consideration. This clarification addresses the perception that the IPR imposes an “asymmetrical burden” upon believers. In fact, the essay suggests that there are good reasons why believers, qua believers, might endorse the IPR .