Liberalism, faith, and the virtue of 'anxiety'

Abstract

I argue for a re-appropriation of the religious/philosophical concept of 'anxiety' regarding human fi nitude and fallibility as an 'epistemic virtue' that should frame the relationship between personal (including religious) belief and political participation and procedures. I contend that moral justifi cations of liberal norms based on 'respect for persons' and 'tolerance' are insuffi cient without relation to such a (complementary) epistemic basis. Furthermore, I argue that a careful examination of the internal logic of religious belief, per se, undermines traditional understandings of 'faith' (as being categorically opposed to 'doubt') and reveals support for liberal norms as an necessary implication thereof.