Political wisdom

A future for Christian politics

Rob Nijhoff, Tido J. Mooibroek

• Publisher: Sallux Publishing
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9789492697028
• eBook ISBN: 9789492697035
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Defensa política

Does faith belong in politics? According to Rob Nijhof it most certainly does. Everyone has some deep convictions that shape the way in which one conducts politics. People can be inspired to political wisdom from different sources. That diversity presents a good reason to listen to each other. It remains useful to draw from the broad Christian tradition that gave the Netherlands and Europe a unique constitutional and democratic character. This tradition traces its roots back to before the Renaissance or the Reformation. This book argues for a politics where ones values are acknowledged and where all players in the 'field strive together for wisdom and the general good for society. Churches can be relevant in this. The Political efforts of Christians normally proceed via the diverse political parties. However, the current network society offers Christians the chance to engage in alliances to act as a broad movement. Christian parties can give this movement a political face. It would be good if Christians would also across the borders of political parties seek to cooperate in a network. At European level this is happening in the European Christian Political Movement (ECPM). This book originally was published (in Dutch) in 2016 by the Mr. G. Groen van Prinsterer Stichting, the scientiffic Institute of the ChristenUnie political party which affter the 2017 election again took part in a coalition government, together with VVD, CDA and D66.

Table of contents

• Preface to the Dutch edition (translated and abridged)
• Translator’s preface; politics in the Netherlands and the ChristenUnie
• Introduction: political wisdom
• 1. Every politician has a vision
• 2. Listen first, talk later: no parliament without écoutement
• 3. The gospel stamped Europe
• 4. All governments decentralised (because Christ is Lord)
• 5. Churches have a political voice
• 6. A party gives a movement a political face
• 7. cPolitics: Christians that differ politically, yet seek each other
• Epilogue
• Appendix: the hourglass model
• Anmerkungen
• For a detailed analysis of the functions that governments loose or retain, given the ‘being-Lord’ of Jesus Christ, see: Oliver O’Donovan, ‘The Desire of the Nations. Rediscovering the Roots of Political Theology’ (Cambridge 1996).
• Their ‘Declaration’ is given in the appendix of his ‘A Better Hope’ on pages 211-215 (citation on page 214). See also: http://www.ekklesiaproject.org.