Description: The political Left has had a turbulent relationship with religion, from outright hostility to attempts to meld religious faith with progressivism. Confronted with contemporary social ills, the progressive Left continues to disagree about the role that religion should play, whe...
Brief description: Michael J. Thompson is Assistant Professor of Political Science at William Paterson University, USA. He is the author of The Politics of Inequality (Columbia University Press, 2007) and editor of Fleeing the City: Studies in the Culture and Politics of Antiurbanism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009).
Review Quotes:
"In this volume renowned scholars and emerging authorities of wide-ranging perspectives offer fresh insights on the rich relationship between religion and the Left. By turns inspiring and thought-provoking, these essays remind us how vital religious thought and spiritual commitment have been to the progressive tradition-and how indispensable they remain to its renewal." --Joseph A. McCartin, Georgetown University
"This book is strong evidence that progressives are far from bereft of challenging ideas, critical and self-critical analyses, and compelling visions of a more just and democratic society. It is a critical resource for people of good faith, secular and religious, who fight for social justice. It is a strong antidote to the superficial, mendacious, and ill-tempered public discourse that prevails today. It engages us at a profound nexus of religion and politics that can equip us with a more rooted and confident solidarity to face the difficult struggles ahead." --Jim Sessions, President, Working America Education Fund and Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice of East Tennessee