Christianity and democracy: a theology for a just world order
The need for global democratisation is now widely recognised, but there is considerable debate about what this means and how it can be achieved. In this important study John de Gruchy examines the historic and contemporary roles of Christianity in the development of democracy. He traces the gestatio...
| Summary: | The need for global democratisation is now widely recognised, but there is considerable debate about what this means and how it can be achieved. In this important study John de Gruchy examines the historic and contemporary roles of Christianity in the development of democracy. He traces the gestation of modern democracy in medieval Christendom, and then describes the virtual breakdown of the relationship as democracy becomes the polity of modernity. Five twentieth-century case studies - the USA, Nicaragua, sub-Saharan Africa, Germany and South Africa - demonstrate the extent to which ecumenical Christianity has begun to reconnect with democracy and act as its contemporary midwife. De Gruchy argues that democracy needs to rediscover its spiritual heritage, while Christianity needs to develop a theology adequate for its participation in the realisation of a just democratic world order. pt. I. The System and the Vision. 1. Democracy: an open-ended tradition. 2. The prophetic vision -- pt. II. Historical and Theological Connections. 3. The Christian matrix. 4. The polity of modernity -- pt. III. Churches and the Struggle for Democracy. 5. Civil rights and liberation in the Americas. 6. The post-colonial struggle for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa. 7. Midwives of democracy in East Germany and South Africa -- pt. IV. Critical Theological Reflection. 8. A Theology for a just democratic world order |
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| Item Description: | Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015) |
| ISBN: | 0511627920 |
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511627927 |