In his recent review (in Foreign Affairs, Jan-Feb, 2008, 173f.) of a recent book by Walter Russell Mead, Owen Harries writes:
“Mead expresses qualified optimism concerning the future of the West’s relations with Islam. The extreme Wahhabi and Salafist movements of today, he observes, bear a striking resemblance to some of the radical Protestant groups of the Reformation. They, too, wanted to return to the original sources of their faith, denounced later deviations and elaborations, attacked rival cults, demanded theocratic rule, and, if deemed necessary, spread their religion by war. The Puritan movement adjusted to reality after repeated failures and over time became a criticial force in the development of Anglo-American liberalism and democracy. Mead speculates that in the medium to long term, the same process of adjustment might happen in Islamist movements.”
Post a Comment