Description: Baker, James and Reader offer new religious engagement with the public sphere via means of interdisciplinary analysis and empirical examples, developing what we call a Relational Christian Realism building upon interaction with contemporary Philosophy of Religion. This book represents an exciting contribution to philosophy and practice of religion on both sides of the Atlantic and aspires to be sufficiently interdisciplinary to also appeal to readerships engaged in the study of modern political and social trends.
Review Quotes: 'The last decade has seen the emergence of new theological and political space within the public sphere for those who look for it. Possibilities for a positive politics for the good of the multitude within the fullness of the cosmos are now appearing. But these urgently require tools for deep philosophical excavation via which genuinely new ways of being beyond the barren confines of secularism can be uncovered and made available for daily life. Recognising the limitations of other complementary approaches, such as the post-materialism of radical orthodoxy, the authors of this challenging book draw on new directions in continental philosophy to reforge a contemporary Christian materialism. In so doing they provide significant new theoretical tools to add to our capacity to meet the post-secular opportunity.' Roger Haydon Mitchell, Lancaster University, UK 'A Philosophy of Christian Materialism is a fresh approach to Christian theology, freed from the confining strictures of Radical Orthodoxy. The materialism of Relational Christian Realism integrates the most cutting-edge theory with concrete religious practices in a transformative way. Baker, James, and Reader open up new vistas for religion, politics and ecology in our entangled world today. Read and be regenerated.' Clayton Crockett, University of Central Arkansas, USA '... [A] timely and thought-provoking [volume of] essays.' Church Times