Politics, Theology and History

by Raymond Plant

• ISBN13: 9780521438810
• ISBN10: 0521438810
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-29
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Politics, Theology and History is a major new book by a prominent academic and an active politician. It ranges widely across the disciplines of theology, political theory and philosophy and poses acute questions about the basic moral foundations of liberal societies. Lord Plant focuses on the role that religious belief can and ought to play in argument about public policy in a pluralistic society. He examines the potential political implications of Christian belief and the ways in which it may be deployed in political debate. The book discusses the place of religious belief in the formation of policy and asks what issues in modern society might be the legitimate objects of a Christian social and political concern. This important study of the relationship between religion and politics will be of value to students, academics, politicians, church professionals, policy makers and all concerned with the moral fabric of contemporary life.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Liberal society and political theology	1	(23)
PART I THE POSSIBILITY OF POLITICAL THEOLOGY	24	(147)
Theology and politics: Context, community and prophecy	25	(19)
God, history and political theology	44	(35)
Totality, finitude and history	79	(33)
Narratives and foundations	112	(30)
Natural law and natural order	142	(29)
PART II THE SITE OF POLITICAL THEOLOGY	171	(126)
Introduction	173	(4)
Markets, morality and theology	177	(19)
Social justice, freedom and the common good	196	(28)
Human rights, human dignity and the scope of responsibility	224	(33)
Self and community	257	(40)
PART III LIBERALISM, RELIGION AND SOCIAL UNITY	297	(63)
Introduction	299	(4)
Policy and pluralism	303	(27)
The civil community, the religious community and the unity of society	330	(30)
Select bibliography	360	(13)
Index of names	373	(4)
Index of subjects	377