Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in ‘Secular’ Britain
Overview
This book—written six years before 9/11—examines the roots of political Islam and its offshoots in Britain. In describing the indifference of policy makers and government officials to religion, it warns of extremism taking root among disaffected young Muslims—and offers a vision of hope tempered with realism that might have helped avert tragedy had it been more widely heeded.
For more by Lesslie Newbigin, see Select Works of Lesslie Newbigin (7 vols.).
Key Features
- Examines the roots of political Islam and its offshoots in Britain
- Warns policy makers of extremism taking root in disaffected young Muslims
- Offers a vision of hope tempered with realism
Top Highlights
“As new immigrants in search of economic opportunities, it was widely believed that such Muslims and their children would be absorbed into the Western global economic mainstream and assimilated into society. In so far as Muslim religious life is concerned, that could safely be relegated to the domain of private piety and as a matter for the parish. Although there were indications even then that Muslims wished to have an active say in wider public issues such as education and in the design of the school curriculum, no more attention was paid to them than was compatible with the secular status quo.” (Page 27)
“In that statement Ibn Khaldūn describes and criticizes the Hobbesian state where political sovereignty is the basis of moral jurisdiction, with people’s rights being what is secured to them by the national political sovereign.15 Yet his alternative of a religious state creates the situation in which religion as a fundamental personal matter is placed under state prerogative. Ibn Khaldūn thus excoriates the power state only to reward it with jurisdiction over religion.” (Page 54)
“Modern Christianity is thus a religion of the peoples and tribes of the world, marked by unprecedented pluralism of vernacular Scripture and liturgy and without territoriality as a unified or unifying rule.” (Page 31)
“assumptions which underlie what we read, watch and hear through the mass media.” (Page 152)
“preaching of the word in the power of the Spirit.” (Page 165)
- Title: Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in ‘Secular’ Britain
- Authors: Lesslie Newbigin, Lamin Sanneh, Jenny Taylor
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2005
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Pages: 196
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Christianity and politics › Great Britain; Political planning › Great Britain--Religious aspects; Christianity and other religions › Islam
- ISBNs: 9781597522281, 1597522287
- Resource ID: LLS:FAITHANDPOWER
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:54:10Z
About Lesslie Newbigin
Lesslie Newbigin (1909–1998) was a famed missioligist and bishop in the Church of South India. He also served on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches. In 1959 Newbigin became the general secretary of the International Missionary Council. He oversaw the final negotiations for the merger with the World Council of Churches. In 1962, Newbigin became the first director of the Division of World Mission and Evangelism, and associate general secretary of the World Council of Churches. Many of his influential works are included in the Eerdmans Lesslie Newbigin Collection (8 vols.).