What role does religion play in contemporary political discourse? Holding a mirror up to English politics in particular, James Crossley examines how Christianity is often used to legitimize ideological positions and parties that could easily be viewed as sinister.

From the paternalistic Christianity used to justify ever-intensifying neoliberalism, to the ethnonationalist and protectionist Christianity of Theresa May and Brexit, to the socialist constructions of Christianity by Jeremy Corbyn and Momentum, Crossley guides us through the love affair between politics and Christianity.. Drawing on interviews with politicians, activists, revolutionaries, and voters on either side of Brexit, Crossley reveals how religion is linked to positions on issues of class, capitalism, and foreign policy, and how it can can often challenge dominant class interests, obfuscate potential causes of unrest, and even justify military intervention.
 

James Crossley is professor at the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham. His recent books include Harnessing Chaos and Jesus and the Chaos of History.

— Roland Boer, Xin Ao Distinguished Overseas Professor at Renmin University of China, Beijing, research professor at the University of Newcastle