Book: Christianity and Contemporary Politics

The new book by Luke Bretherton (King's College London) is titled "Christianity and Contemporary Politics: The Conditions and Possibilities of Faithful Witness" (Wiley-Blackwell, January 2010):

http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405199695.html

According to the publisher's description, this book "[e]xplores the relationship between Christianity and contemporary politics through case studies of faith-based organizations, Christian political activism and welfare provision in the West; these case studies assess initiatives including community organizing, fair trade, and the sanctuary movement; [o]ffers an insightful, informative account of how Christians can engage politically in a multi-faith, liberal democracy; [i]ntegrates debates in political theology with inter-disciplinary analysis of policy and practice regarding religious social, political and economic engagement in the USA, UK, and continental Europe; [r]eveals how Christians can help prevent the subversion of the church – and even of politics itself – by legal, bureaucratic, and market mechanisms, rather than advocating withdrawal or assimilation; [e]ngages with the intricacies of contemporary politics whilst integrating systematic and historical theological reflection on political and economic life".

Endorsed elsewhere thus: "Sophisticated, erudite, deeply insightful, and written with a passion born out of political engagement. Bretherton pushes the field of political theology into fresh pastures ... This book will serve many, not just political theorists and theologians." (Gaving D'Costa, University of Bristol)