Realism And Christian Faith

Table of contents

Table of contents

Robin W. Lovin argues that the integration of religion and public life will benefit society more than their separation.

How can the turbulent world of international relations be understood and addressed from a Christian faith perspective? In this book fundamental theological and philosophical perspectives are presented from various Christian traditions: Neo-calvinism, Catholic social teaching, critical theory and Christian realism.

This volume picks up a rather uninvested field of international relations theory: the influence of religion on Realism as well as the power of Realism to address religious issues in world politics. Although classical scholars of Realism rarely mention religion explicitly in their well-known work, this volume suggests that Realism offers serious ground for taking religion and faith into account as well as evaluating the impact of religion on its theoretical framework: how religion and religious worldviews influence and affect the theoretical framework of Realism, and how Realism approach religious issues in international relations as a relatively new field of international studies. Although international relations scholars now widely deal with issues of religion, large portions of the theoretical underpinning are missing. In addressing this lack, the volume illustrates the possibility of reform and change in Realism. Furthermore, the chapters reach out to normative statements. The contributors offer a theoretical view on religion in international relations in the context of Realism but always connect this with actual, real-world related political problems. The volume takes into account not only classical thinkers and approaches of Realism but also present-day authors dealing with ethical and normative questions of international relations in the aftermath of 9/11. Offering a fresh perspective on the influence of religion on international relations theory, this work will be of great interest to scholars of religion and international relations, international relations theory, and political philosophy

A new and penetrating assessment of the work of the twentieth century's best known public theologian.

Christian Realism and Liberation Theology provides the best interpretation and critique we have of liberation theology. Equally important, however, is McCann's interpretation of Reinhold Niebuhr. For it is McCann's contention that Niebuhr is best appreciated as attempting to provide a form of spirituality sufficient to sustain the frustrations of political struggle. By bringing Niebuhr and liberation theology into creative contrast McCann not only illuminates the contributions and shortcomings of each but helps us better understand the issues confronting the development of an adequate Christian social ethic. This is a book that has needed writing for some time. We are in McCann's debt. -- Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics Divinity School, Duke University

Christian identity is in moral and political crisis, scandalized by the many ways in which it has been coopted and misrepresented. Addressing this painful reality, Lee Camp writes that Christianity in America has been made into a bad public joke because of “our failure to rightly understand what Christianity is.” From this provocative claim, Camp’s manifesto makes the convincing case that a renewed Christian politic is more essential than ever, one that is “neither left nor right nor religious,” but a prophetic way of life modeled after Jesus of Nazareth. Camp’s robust vision exposes modern parodies of faith—the American concept of “Christian values,” for one—and challenges Christians to rethink who they are and how they participate in the modern world. Authentic gospel truth is a scandal to the American myth, he argues, and we are called to be scandalous witnesses.