God & Government: An Insider's View on the Boundaries Between Faith & PoliticsHow should Christians live their faith in the public arena? Twenty years ago, the first edition of Chuck Colson's Kingdoms in Conflict became a bestseller, a must-read for people interested in politics and the relationship between church and state. Now, with a passion for truth and moved by the urgency of the times we live in, Colson has written God and Government, re-voicing his powerful and enduring message for our post-9/11 world. In an era when Christianity is being attacked from every side--books being written charging Christians with being theocrats and trying to impose their views on an unwilling culture--what is the message of the Christian church? What does the Bible say, and what do we learn from history about the proper relationship between faith and culture? Appealing to scripture, reason, and history, this book tackles society's most pressing and divisive issues. New stories and examples reflect the realities of today, from the clash with radical Islam to the deep division between "reds" and "blues." In an era of angry finger-pointing, Colson furnishes a unique insider's perspective that can't be pigeonholed as either "religious right" or "religious left." Whatever your political or religious stance, this book will give you a different understanding of Christianity. If you're a Christian, it will help you to both examine and defend your faith. If you've been critical of the new religious right, you'll be shocked at what you learn. Probing both secular and religious values, God and Government critiques each fairly, sides with neither, and offers a hopeful, fair-minded perspective that is sorely needed in today's hyper-charged atmosphere. |
From inside the book
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... society's most pressing and divisive issues. New stories and examples reflect the realities of today, from the clash with radical Islam to the deep division between “reds” and “blues.” In an era of angry finger-pointing, Colson ...
... society. Wise men and women have long recognized the need for the transcendent authority of religion to give society its legitimacy and essential cohesion. One of the most vigorous arguments was made by Cicero, who maintained that ...
... society to provide both with a sense of proportion and responsibility in order to inform behavior.”12 The American experiment in limited government was founded on this essential premise; its success depended on a transcendent reference ...
... society, is it right to seek to influence or impose Christian values? How are the rights of the nonreligious protected? Are there mutual interests for both the religious and the secular? Is it possible to find common ground? What does ...
... society, has ignored this fundamental truth. Along with denying God, today's social visionaries have denied man's intrinsic need for God. At the same time, Christianity has become a pale shadow of the radical Kingdom its Founder ...
Contents
Presence of the Kingdom 16 Benefits of the Kingdom | 267 |
Christian Patriotism | 276 |
Little Platoons | 286 |
The Problem of Power | 300 |
Christians in Politics | 313 |
Signs of the Kingdom | 333 |
Perils of Politics | 343 |
People Power | 356 |
For the Good of the Nation | 106 |
The Cross and the Crown | 122 |
Part Three Absence of the Kingdom | 139 |
Roots of War Part I 141 | 172 |
Year Zero | 194 |
Marxism and the Kingdom of God | 204 |
Conflict and Compromise in the West | 232 |
The Naked Public Square | 257 |
Part Four | 265 |
The Political Illusion | 380 |
The Indestructible Kingdom | 391 |
Epilogue | 418 |
With Gratitude | 422 |
Notes | 425 |
For Further Reading | 435 |
Index | 437 |