Christianity and Contemporary Politics: The Conditions and Possibilites of Faithful Witness

Through insightful case studies of faith-based organizations, Christian political activism, and welfare provision in the West, this innovative, informative, and wide-ranging book shows how Christians can engage politically in a multi-faith, liberal democracy. The case studies include assessments of initiatives such as community organizing, fair trade, and the Sanctuary movement.

Bretherton integrates debates in political theology with analysis of policy and practice regarding religious social, political, and economic engagement in the USA, UK, and continental Europe, but avoids presenting an idealized archetype for church–state relations. Instead, he engages with the intricacies of contemporary politics while integrating systematic and historical theological reflection on political and economic life. The book delineates the ways in which “faithful witness” and the forging of a common good – at local, national, and global levels – emerge through a dynamic of listening, judgment, and proclamation between Christians and those of other faiths and of no faith. Rather than advocate withdrawal or assimilation, the book reveals how faithful witness can help prevent the subversion of the church – and even of politics itself – by legal, bureaucratic, and market mechanisms.

Relations between religious and political spheres continue to stir passionate debates on both sides of the Atlantic. Through a combination of theological reflection and empirical case studies, Bretherton succeeds in offering timely and invaluable insights into these important issues affecting our society today.