It was great fun in the end, though not without its drama. Having arranged to have a book launch at Durham Cathedral bookshop months ago (or so it seems), and been assured by my contacts at Paternoster that the books would be there in plenty of time – there I was on 30th October… 31st October… wondering if I’d see my books – or would I be doing a book launch without books!!

The books appeared in the publisher’s warehouse on 31st October, and the email confirming that they’d been sent out on their way to Durham reached me at 7:30p.m. that day. Tension! Would the books get to me? Relief! At 11a.m. on the 1st November two heavy boxes duly got here – now all I had to do was to get them to the shop…

And we did it – and we had fun! And my wife even raised a glass to the next book!

I would just like to thank the staff at the Durham cathedral bookshop for all their hard work in making the launch such an enjoyable experience – and, of course, to everyone who came!

These are the tensions Nigel Oakley grapples with as he shows how Christians can, indeed must, engage with politics and with political debate. He demonstrates, in chapters on Augustine, Liberation theology, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas how these tensions exist in every strand of Christian political thinking; and then he applies those tensions to case studies varying from today’s highly charged debates on sexuality to the war on terrorism. In every case, he demonstrates that non-involvement is a non-option. This book is both an intelligent introduction to the difficult world of Christian political theology and to some of the key debates that are shaping our times.

‘It is a happy occasion to comment on this book by Nigel Oakley who … offers a constructive Christian position for the more difficult challenges facing us in our world today.’
Stanley Hauerwas, Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School, North Carolina

‘This book will be an important tool for individuals and churches who are prepared to open their eyes to God’s reality, their minds to his multi-faceted but integrated truth, and their hearts to his compassion for a world greatly beloved but greatly afflicted.’
N.T. Wright, Bishop of Durham

‘Nigel Oakley binds the wisdom and practice of the past to the issues and dilemmas of the present in a most creative and stimulating way. This hugely informative book will rescue Christians from simplistic or  monochrome answers to the biblical, theological and ethical complexity of wrestling with political realities.’
Christopher J.H. Wright, International Director, Langham Partnership International

‘Engaging Politics demonstrates that, far from being incompatible, Christianity, social justice and political engagement are inseparable. A thought-provoking, stimulating and action inducing read.’
Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Oasis Global and Faithworks

Nigel Oakley is World Development Officer for the Anglican Diocese of Durham, UK. He has a PhD from the University of Durham in political theology.