Faith in Politics

In 2004 a public attitudes survey suggested that 31% of British people believed that all or most MPs told the truth. In 2012 that had fallen to 20%. Now in 2015 there is clearly an unprecedented cynicism about politics resulting in low turn-outs at elections and a general mistrust of politicians of all parties.

In this book Richard Harries argues the case for a recovery of confidence in our political values—in particular the rule of law, democracy and human rights. He argues that all these and others are deeply grounded in a Christian understanding of what it means to be a human being in society.

Harries believes there are four factors of paramount importance for 21st century British society: the low esteem in which politicians are held; that our political system should be defended and made to work; a belief in the fundamental values of our democracy; and that the market and social liberalism have been damaging to our way of life.

In six well-argued chapters Harries examines the basis on which the Church claims to speak in and to the political arena, the moral and theological basis of law, democracy as a bedrock of a just society, the worth of the individual, that the Christian faith offers a foundation for human rights and, lastly, discusses issues of identity and the connection between identity and religion.

This is a revised edition of a book first published in 2010 and a timely voice in the run-up to a general election.