Public Theology and the Modern Social Imaginary

Abstract : Charles Taylor's study of the development of the modern social imaginary raises several issues for public theology in a secular, multicultural society. Canada provides an example of such a culture and shows how the issues arise in a specific public and media context. Even if public theologians can learn to speak the language of secular multicultural societies and give what are recognized as public, rational arguments for their positions, the media culture may not provide the space which makes public theology possible.