Politics And Protestant Theology: An Interpretation Of Tillich, Barth, Bonhoeffer And Brunner

Book Summary

Focusing on the way in which theological concepts apply to politics, this book evaluates contemporary political thought and behavior by measuring it against the ideas of four great theologians of the 20th century. Theology matters, not only to the stained glass world of pulpit and pew, but to the halls of Congress, the White House and the judiciary. The focus of "Politics and Protestant Theology" is not theology, per se, but the way in which theological concepts apply to politics. This book evaluates contemporary political thought and behavior by measuring it against the ideas of four great theologians of the 20th century. In their rush to be relevant in the political arena, today's Mainline Protestant leaders have removed "theos" from theology as they celebrate the almighty "I" instead of the Almighty "I AM." Yet, ironically, theological concepts like identification, alienation, reconciliation, guilt and forgiveness are at the root of all political thought. Politicians who aspire to statesmanship should understand that these concepts form the very substance of their craft. The effective statesman, therefore, will recognize that theological competence is essential to success in practical politics. "Politics and Protestant Theology" examines the theologies of Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner and Paul Tillich, spelling out the implications of the faith that they professed for the political world in which all of us live.

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