Sider, Toward an Evangelical Public Policy

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Ronald J. Sider and Dianne Knippers, Editors, Toward an Evangelical Public Policy: Political Strategies for the Health of the Nation. Baker Books, 2005.

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LifeandLeadership.com Summary

This book appeared three years before the publication of The Scandal of Evangelical Politics, where Sider developed in more detail his personal vision for a just society and outlines political strategies that facilitate that end. In this book, he and co-editor Dianne Knippers assemble an impressive panel of Christian theologians, economists, and practitioners who offer educated perspectives on how evangelicals can express themselves politically through a biblical framework. The result is almost 400 pages of essays on subjects such as justice, human rights, citizenship, civil rights, sanctity of life, caring for the vulnerable, family integrity, stewardship, war, and peacemaking. The back of the book includes the statement adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals, “For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility” which designates two “Structures of Public Life” which are believed to be upheld by a biblical view of a just society. These include: representative democracy, and just government and fundamental liberty. From there, it sets forth seven “Principles of Christian Political Engagement.” These include: protect religious freedom and liberty of conscience, nurture family life and protect children, protect the sanctity of human life and safeguard its nature, seek justice and compassion for the poor and vulnerable, protect human rights, seek peace and work to restrain violence (upholds just war in certain circumstances), and protect God’s creation. The book provides detailed essays on each of these tenets.

From the Publisher

An evangelical call to civic responsibility

While evangelicals are becoming an increasingly viable force in American public life, too often their political agendas have lacked clarity, consistency, and Christlikeness. Catholicism has a rich history of papal reflections and directions, and Protestantism has its own traditions from which to draw, but evangelicals lack responsible approaches to their own earthly citizenship. The result has been an ineffective role in shaping civic debate.

Toward an Evangelical Public Policy will help conscientious Christians carefully develop a biblical framework that guides their political involvement. The editors show how to combine political philosophy with Scripture, tradition, and sophisticated study of the contemporary mindset by drawing together contributions from:

Clive Calver
Nigel M. de S. Cameron
Galen Carey
Richard Cizik
Paul de Vries
John C. Green
David P. Gushee
Kristin E. Heyer
Dennis P. Hollinger
Joseph Loconte
Paul Marshall
Tom Minnery
Stephen Monsma
Raymond R. Roberts
Mark Rodgers
R. Scott Rodin
Ronald J. Sider
Max L. Stackhouse
Glenn T. Stanton
Glen H. Stassen
Nicholas Wolterstorff

Challenging evangelicals to think more deeply about their political involvement, this book will help believers make the most of a historic opportunity to shape a better world.

Ronald J. Sider is president of Evangelicals for Social Action.

Diane Knippers is president of the Institute for Religion and Democracy

About the Author

Ronald J. Sider is the president of Evangelicals for Social Action and professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than twenty-five books, including the well-received The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, Just Generosity, and the bestselling Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.

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