Since the Genesis narrative of the Biblical fall, we have been struggling to restore, rebuild, and redeem what we squandered in the garden. Despite thousands of years of brilliant essays, inspiring speeches, and bloody revolutions- man has never succeeded in building another utopia.

While this exposition is, in theory, is a reflection of my views concerning culture, law, and public policy; it is also a wrestling of how our fractured society is and how it ought to be. A surplus of political commentators, philosophers, and legal scholars much smarter than I have all attempted to tackle enigmas much like this and are still left with more questions than answers. So, here is my feeble endeavor to present a reasoned analysis of government and culture. 

First and foremost, I am a vigorous advocate of the separation of church and state. I would like to examine law, public policy, and cultural change as separate entities. The pages of history produce narratives of tyrannical governments that forcibly instituted religion on their people- consequently, a myriad of horrific human rights violations and vehement persecution resulted.  The French Revolutions in the late 1700s is an excellent case study of where a monarch endeavored to be God and the people revolted. 

I believe that not only should individuals be given the freedom to choose their religion, but furthermore, should also be guaranteed the constitutional liberty to debate and discuss ideologies that oppose their own. This is where law and policy act as safeguards to protect the evolution of culture. Public discourse regarding such topics is an essential aspect of a flourishing and healthy society that encourages a collective quest for truth. The government should remain as neutral as possible within this discussion. 

The counterargument to this ideology is the question: “can a society legislate morality without religion?” While philosophers like Immanuel Kant argued that morality can be concluded by reason alone- with the absence of a divine being. One must still recognize the undeniable impact that spirituality and religion play in culture building. 

Andy Crouch in his book Culture Making discusses various definitions of culture, one of which is “religion externalized” consequentially leading to the “manifestation of your worship”.  Western countries like Canada and the United States acknowledge the sovereignty of a Judeo-Christian God in their governing documents; while much of the Middle East still strictly practice Sharia law.  In both of these cases, either the Quran or the Torah is an underlying influence that presents itself in their culture, policy, and laws. 

While we won’t achieve utopia on this side of heaven we can do our best to avoid creating hell.

I believe that culture is the driving agent behind how we practice law and propose policy. Without culture, there would be no requirement for law or policy, and culture could not survive without the latter two. Each culture is reflected and protected in the concrete aspects of law and policy. 

As I conclude I recognize that my own view of utopia still carries with it a plethora of flaws, caveats, and drawbacks.  We can still do our best to support the quest for truth. While we won’t achieve utopia on this side of heaven we can do our best to avoid creating hell.