The former secretary of state for the Clinton administration recently published The Mighty & the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs (HarperCollins). She spoke with CT senior writer Tony Carnes.
You wrote that since 9/11, you have realized that your views on religion and foreign affairs had been stuck in an earlier time.
I was part of the school of thought that felt [foreign policy] issues were complicated enough without bringing God and religion into it. But what I have learned, and 9/11 was the epicenter of it, is that if we don’t make religion a force for peace it will remain a source of conflict. It became evident to me how little understanding there is of the force of religion [and the role it] plays in how policy is made.
Are you wary of conservative religious people being involved in foreign affairs?
I think there’s a difference between conservative and extremist. I think an extremist is somebody who is totally disrespectful of other people’s views. An extremist is unwilling to make any movement toward finding common ground. Conservative is a way of interpreting things that may not recognize much change, but it is respectful of other people’s views.
What steps should we be taking in Sudan and Darfur?
When I was in office, a number of evangelical groups and children came to talk to me about Sudan, though not yet about Darfur. So I credit a lot of the religious movements with having brought some of the horrors to light in southern Sudan. In Darfur, I am shocked that more is not being done. The U.S. government could provide troops to go into Darfur in support of nato operations. I am talking about airplanes or logistical support, and a communications network. There don’t have to be troops on the ground.
Some people argue that Christianity, particularly the evangelical and Pentecostal types, and post-Vatican II Catholicism encourage democracy wherever they flourish. Do you agree?
I think the important word is “encourage.” I do think missionaries create the kind of respect for the individual who then can participate more fully either in the religious structure or within a governmental structure. Evangelicals and Pentecostals really have helped introduce the possibility of democracy in countries.
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Related Elsewhere:
Also posted today is a review of Albright’s book by Ambassador Robert Seiple.
The Mighty and the Almighty is available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.
More information about the book, including an excerpt, is available from HarperCollins.
