Spiritual Socialists
Refuting the common perception that the American left has a religion problem, Vaneesa Cook highlights an important but overlooked intellectual and political tradition that she calls spiritual…
Specifikacia Spiritual Socialists
Refuting the common perception that the American left has a religion problem, Vaneesa Cook highlights an important but overlooked intellectual and political tradition that she calls spiritual socialism. Spiritual socialists emphasized the social side of socialism and believed the most basic expression of religious values--caring for the sick, tired, hungry, and exploited members of one's community--created a firm footing for society. Their unorthodox perspective on the spiritual and cultural meaning of socialist principles helped make leftist thought more palatable to Americans, who associated socialism with Soviet atheism and autocracy. In this way, spiritual socialism continually put pressure on liberals, conservatives, and Marxists to address the essential connection between morality and social justice.Cook tells her story through an eclectic group of activists whose lives