Book is a series of conversations that began during a sabbatical year at the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame and produced an essay, "The end of convenient stereotypes" that was originally published in the journal Pro Ecclesia, winter 1998 & reprinted in, The end of democracy II : a crisis of legitimacy (Spence Pub., 1999) edited by Mitch Muncy. Portions of chapter eight originally appeared as "Hospitality as an alternative to tolerance" in Communio 27, no. 3, fall 2000.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: the end of convenient stereotypes -- The end of democracy? the First things symposium and its critics -- American Catholics to the rescue? Michael Baxter and the Notre Dame theology department -- Rival versions of confessionalism: Neuhaus and Baxter -- Gertrude Himmelfarb and the priority of democracy to philosophy -- Sapere aude! From liberal statecraft to extraordinary politics -- Extraordinary politics beyond the culture of convenience -- Hospitality and the culture of life.