Political Theology: A New Introduction

As commentators frequently observe, with either horror or satisfaction, 'God is back'. Since 9/11, the 'wars on terror' and the growing talk of a 'clash of civilisations', the 'return of religion' has become one of the most unexpected and widely discussed features of the modern world. An increasingly bitter 'culture war' is brewing between believers and unbelievers.

Yet, as Michael Kirwan points out in this revelatory introduction to the long relationship between religion and politics, most current discussion of the subject is based on ignorance and misunderstanding. Political Theology: A New Introduction is an accessible history of the different ways in which religion and the political have related to one another, that explains why religion has proved more resilient than many expected.

Michael Kirwan's lively guide to a vibrant, fascinating and sometimes bewildering subject will challenge and excite believer and sceptic alike.