Religion and Political Thought

Description

This book provides an essential resource for studies in religion and politics. It is divided into three parts, beginning with an introduction outlining the contemporary relevance of reviewing the relationship between the two subject areas; a brief history of the interactions between religion and politics that have pertained both in East and the West, and the key concepts that relate these two fields. The second section comprises a selection of classic readings. This title is ideal for students of both religion and politics and general readers who are interested in the topics.

Michael Hoelzl is Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Manchester, UK. Graham Ward is Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford and a Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, UK.

'This timely anthology is more than just a rounding up of the usual suspects. Although the indispensable classic texts in political theology are here, they are joined by both classic "secular" political voices and some provocative new contemporary voices who work on the edge of politics and religion. The editors' introductions and the texts themselves blur the lines between the temporal and the spiritual in helpful ways. If the world is not simply advancing toward greater secularization, it may be because the "secular" itself is a kind of "religion." This book is a tremendous resource for exploring such a world.' William T. Cavanaugh, Associate Professor of Theology, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, USA "This is a stimulating collection , with good bibliographical pointers, that opens up major questions for readers at every level" Theological Book Review Vol. 19 No. 1 2007 -- nicholas Sagovsky