Political Visions & Illusions - 2nd Edition by David T Koyzis (Paperback)

About the Book

In this freshly updated, comprehensive study, political scientist David Koyzis surveys the key political ideologies of our era, unpacking the worldview issues inherent to each and pointing out essential strengths and weaknesses. Writing with broad international perspective, Koyzis is a sensible guide for Christians working in the public square, culture watchers, and all students of modern political thought.

Book Synopsis

What you believe about politics matters. The decades since the Cold War, with new alignments of post-9/11 global politics and the chaos of the late 2010s, are swirling with alternative visions of political life, ranging from ethnic nationalism to individualistic liberalism.Political ideologies are not merely a matter of governmental efficacy, but are intrinsically and inescapably religious: each carries certain assumptions about the nature of reality, individuals and society, as well as a particular vision for the common good. These fundamental beliefs transcend the political sphere, and the astute Christian observer can discern the ways--sometimes subtle, sometimes not--in which ideologies are rooted in idolatrous worldviews.In this freshly updated, comprehensive study, political scientist David Koyzis surveys the key political ideologies of our era, including liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, democracy, and socialism. Koyzis gives each philosophy careful analysis and fair critique, unpacking the worldview issues inherent to each and pointing out essential strengths and weaknesses, as well as revealing the "narrative structure" of each--the stories they tell to make sense of public life and the direction of history. Koyzis concludes by proposing alternative models that flow out of Christianity's historic engagement with the public square, retrieving approaches for both individuals and the global, institutional church that hold promise for the complex political realities of the twenty-first century.Writing with broad international perspective and keen analytical insight, Koyzis is a sane and sensible guide for Christians working in the public square, culture watchers, political pundits, and all students of modern political thought.

Review Quotes

"Although the first edition of Political Visions and Illusions has already been praised in Brazil as an invaluable tool of Christian political formation, from young students and clergy to federal prosecutors and career politicians, the new edition confirms itself as a classic. The author deepens the conversation of ideology and idolatry, recovering the central role of narrative for ideology. He greatly enhances his explanation and extracts the equivalents of the biblical creation/fall/redemption/consummation narrative ingrained within the core stories of liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, democratism, and socialism. Dr. Koyzis also updates his approach by engaging novel critiques of those ideologies, such as Patrick Deneen'son liberalism; listening to relevant Christian political thinkers, such as David L. Schindler; and introducing new insights of his own, such as his theory of authority. The new edition of Political Visions and Illusions carries the promiseto be an even greater blessing for the Christian political mind. I hope we will have it in Portuguese soon."

Guilherme de Carvalho, L'Abri Fellowship Brazil

"David Koyzis has produced a truly original book illuminating the landscape of modern political ideologies. His approach is distinctively Christian, giving him a standpoint from which to cririque liberal as well as totalitarian ideologies. Moreover, the book is up to date with the post-Cold War world. This is the place to start for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of ideological conflict in the world today."

James W. Skillen, President, Center for Public Justice

"David Koyzis not only helps us to see the basic worldviews that give shape to a variety of political perspectives, he also makes a solid case for a uniquely Christian perspective on these matters. This excellent book is a much-needed 'discerning' tool for understanding the basic issues of political life."

Richard J. Mouw, President and Professor of Christian Philosophy, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Few could have anticipated the major political upheavals witnessed since this book first came out in 2003. Yet Koyzis's book has stood the test of time, ranking, in my opinion, as the best introduction to modern political thought from a Christianperspective. This updated edition is welcome in its inclusion both of newer literature and fresh examples to recent political developments. As a politically engaged theologian, I'm especially thrilled to see the addition of the 'Concluding Ecclesiological Postscript' that could very well serve as kind of theo-political compass for church leaders wanting navigational guidance on how churches should--and should not--engage in political action."

David Guretzki, executive vice president andresident theologian, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

"Koyzis offers an accessible, compelling, and deeply researched introduction to the major political ideologies at work in the world today. Throughout the book Koyzis serves the reader as a faithful and thoughtful Christian guide through the many competing political voices active in the public square. I've been assigning Political Visions and Illusions in my courses on faith and politics for years now, and I'm so grateful for a new and updated edition. It is a true gift."

Matthew Kaemingk, assistant professor of Christian ethics, associate dean, Fuller Theological Seminary, Texas

"Political nostrums fly thick and fast in contemporary life--from print, radio, TV, pulpits and (perhaps most of all) casual conversation. David Koyzis's welcome effort uses wise biblical reasoning as well as the hard-won experience of Dutch Calvinists to winnow through the modern world's blizzard of competing politcal claims. Koyzis's analysis is both an effective survey of the world's contemporary political options and an encouraging Christian word on how to discern the critical differences. This book's combination of readable theory and wise Christian thinking is a first-order contribution to Christian political thought in its own right."

Mark A. Noll, McManis Professor of Christian Thought, Wheaton College

"Thankfully it is now common for Christians to believe that the gospel should shape our view not only of the goals but also of the nature of our politics, and that the theme of idolatry is key to understanding not only our personal but also our political life. But until David Koyzis's Political Visions and Illusions, this understanding has remained largely vague, tentative and intuitive. This book shows clearly and in detail how biblical insight into idolatry and ideology illuminatethe most concrete dimensions of political life in a way rarely grasped by more secular political scientists."

Paul Marshall, Senior Fellow, Center for Religious Freedom, Washington, D.C.

"The first edition of this excellent book showed in lively and erudite prose how biblical insights into idolatry illuminate our political life. This expanded edition increases its scope and delineates the newer challenges we face. It is indispensable reading."

Paul Marshall, Jerry and Susie Wilson Professor of Religious Freedom, Baylor University

About the Author

Richard J. Mouw (PhD, University of Chicago) is a senior research fellow at the Henry Institute for the Study of Religion and Politics at Calvin University. He previously served as the president of Fuller Theological Seminary (1993-2013) and directed their Institute of Faith and Public Life (2013-2020). In 2007, Princeton Theological Seminary awarded him the Abraham Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life. He is the author of over twenty books, including UncommonDecency, Adventures in Evangelical Civility, Restless Faith, and All That God Cares About.

David T. Koyzis is affiliated with Global Scholars Canada and is engaged in an international academic ministry of writing, researching, lecturing, and conversing with readers of his books. He is the author of Political Visions and Illusions and We Answer to Another: Authority, Office, and the Image of God. He taught undergraduate political science for thirty years and lives with his family in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.