God and Caesar: Personal Reflections on Politics and Religion

I chose to read this book on the basis of its subtitle: "Personal Reflections on Politics and Religion" expecting a personal account. Rather, a practical account was offered such that, to my mind, the subtitle could be more accurately expressed "Practical Reflections on Politics and Religion." The book is based on a lecture series and as a result is not a difficult book to read. Williams, by her own admission, is not a theologian, nor scholar but a politician. She claims the "authority of experience" for the right to make comments on the relationship between religion and politics. She embraces, and is embraced by, a political and an historical aspect of the institutional church, not its founder. "It seemed to me that, if I was to be a Christian, I should embraced Christianity in its strongest form. It was the huge claims and the huge demands made that drew me to the Church of Rome" (p. 6). In her embrace, I believe, she differs from the politician W E Gladstone who believed that politicians ought to be inspired and motivated by religious convictions. She does support the institutional Church, "warts and all" in addressing the social and global ills of our day. But her support appears to lack Gladstone's personal evangelical commitment to political activity. Her support of the Roman Church, however, does not exempt the Church from undertaking a critical self-reflection. I was not disappointed after reading the book for there are many significant insights clearly and appropriately expressed. Her highly practical insights helped me to become better informed about the relationship between church and state in a contemporary context. However, I remain no better informed about her personal understanding or personal commitment which for me was the initial attraction of the book's subtitle.

I chose to read this book on the basis of its subtitle: "Personal Reflections on Politics and Religion" expecting a personal account. Rather, a practical account was offered such that, to my mind, the subtitle could be more accurately expressed "Practical Reflections on Politics and Religion." The book is based on a lecture series and as a result is not a difficult book to read. Williams, by her own admission, is not a theologian, nor scholar but a politician. She claims the "authority of experience" for the right to make comments on the relationship between religion and politics. She embraces and is embraced by a political and an historical aspect of the institutional church, not its founder. "It seemed to me that, if I was to be a Christian, I should embraced Christianity in its strongest form. It was the huge claims and the huge demands made that drew me to the Church of Rome" (p. 6). In her embrace, I believe, she differs from the politician W E Gladstone who believed that politicians ought to be inspired and motivated by religious convictions. She does support the institutional Church, "warts and all" in addressing the social and global ills of our day. But her support appears to lack Gladstone's personal evangelical commitment to political activity. Her support of the Roman Church, however, does not exempt the Church from undertaking a critical self-reflection. I was not disappointed after reading the book for there are many significant insights clearly and appropriately expressed. Her highly practical insights helped me to become better informed about the relationship between church and state in a contemporary context. However, I remain no better informed about her personal understanding or personal commitment which for me was the initial attraction of the book's subtitle.

Written by Shirley Williams who is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and a practicing Catholic, God & Caesar: Personal Reflections On Politics And Religion is a soul-searching discussion of the political process, both in the secular world and in the recently scandal-rocked Catholic Church hierarchy. The effects of globalization have left particular impact on public and political life the world over; God & Caesar offers insights on ways to balance the worldly with the spiritual on both a personal and a worldwide level. A welcome addition to Political Science collections, God & Caesar is based on the second annual Erasmus Lectures at the University of Notre Dame and highly recommended reading for Catholics as well as members of other Christian denominations with an interest in national and international affairs.