The Good of Politics

“Skillen has made an important contribution to the growing body of serious evangelical political thought. This book is a masterful articulation of a profoundly Christian political philosophy—one developed in a sophisticated conversation with a broad range of the most important shapers of Western culture.”—Ronald J. Sider, Senior Distinguished Professor of Theology, Holistic Ministry, and Public Policy, Palmer Seminary, Eastern University

“The Good of Politics offers needed wisdom for an age tempted to despair about the possibility of anything good coming from politics. Judiciously tacking between empirical and normative issues, Skillen draws deeply from biblical sources and major streams of the Christian tradition in the service of a distinctively positive vision of civic responsibility for our common life. This accessible text by one of the most engaged Protestant political thinkers of his generation should find an important place in colleges, seminaries, and churches.”—Eric Gregory, Princeton University

“In The Good of Politics, seasoned political thinker and practitioner James Skillen presents a full and compelling articulation of the integrally Christian vision of politics he has been pioneering in the United States for more than a generation. The book contains a fresh and inspiring statement of politics as caught up in the biblical drama of creation and kingdom and a highly insightful and critical reading of the complicated and often compromised history of Christian politics in the West and beyond. It offers an illuminating account of politics as a unique vocation to pursue justice and the common good and, on top of all that, illustrates what this concretely implies for constitutional reform, citizenship, family and marriage, education, economics and the environment and global affairs. The Good of Politics is a veritable tour de force of sustained Christian reflection on complex and contested territory where contemporary Christians are in great need of more wisdom.”—Jonathan Chaplin, director, Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics, Cambridge, UK

“I have long believed that the dynamic, nonpartisan, and deeply Christian approach to politics embodied in the writings and witness of Jim Skillen offers an invaluable resource for our political moment. Here we have Skillen’s political vision at its best. Biblically rooted and generous in spirit, he engages a staggering array of topics from the early church through today and invites us to see politics as a good and faithful endeavor that can and should promote justice for all. In this vigorous articulation of the God-given goodness of politics, Skillen’s goal is to protect and promote the significance of the diverse nonpolitical responsibilities that make up most of life.”—Kristen Deede Johnson, associate professor of theology and Christian formation, Western Theological Seminary

“Readers have come to appreciate the wisdom and insight that Skillen has displayed in his work over the years. This new book certainly lives up to our expectations. The Good of Politics is a biblically and historically rich primer on the political life for everyone persuaded that the claims of Christ extend to our calling as citizens.”—David Koyzis, author of Political Visions and Illusions; professor of political science, Redeemer University College, Ontario