Subtitle: How American Christians Think about Economic Justice
Author: Stephen Hart
Subject: Sociology/Religion/Christian Studies
Paper ISBN 0-8135-2325-7
Pages: 288 pp.
Description:

"A real eye-opener. . . .This is a major contribution to understanding the significance of religion in American society."--Robert N. Bellah, University of California, Berkeley

"An ingenious and important investigation of Christians and social values. . . . Hart inspires the dialogue desperately needed to make use of the way Americans feel about the overprivileged and the underprivileged, the Establishment and the outcasts."--Paul Buhle, author of Marxism in the United States

"Stephen Hart has probed the connection between faith and the economic perspectives of a diverse group of grass-roots Christians. . . . Gives fresh insight into how Christian faith shapes Christian participation in public debate."--Christian Century

"Richly rewarding. Stephen Hart's nuanced analysis . . . adds enormously to our understanding of the relationship between religious faith and economic issues. At a time when economic justice is urgently needed, this book gives reasons for hope."--Robert Wuthnow, author of The Struggle for America's Soul: Evangelicals, Liberals and Secularism

In this engaging and lively book, Stephen Hart paints a rich portrait of how everyday Christians connect their faith to political issues like economic equality, government intervention, and the rights of private enterprise. Drawing on interviews with forty-seven "ordinary" Christians--Roman Catholics, Evangelical and Pentecostal Protestants, mainline Protestants, and others--Hart argues that Christians do not always learn a conservative political perspective from their religion, as is often the stereotype. Rather, Christian traditions provide a reservoir of resources that supports such varied values as equality, community, individuality, and freedom. Hart profiles these individuals and allows them to explain in their own words how they use these values to formulate views on social justice issues, supporting political positions ranging from left to right. Hart also provides a new way of understanding how religion affects public discourse. This first paperback edition includes a new analysis of recent trends in religious politics, including the religious right and religiously-based movements for peace and justice.

Stephen Hart is a sociologist affiliated with SUNY-Buffalo and has published widely on religion, politics, and culture. His past work has included political organizing as well as university teaching.