City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era
In recent American history, the mixture of religion and politics has  all too often produced inflated rhetoric, demonization of opponents, runaway hyperbole,  and mindless demagoguery. This book is different. It pulls back from the heat of  conflict to seek light from Scripture, Christian tradition, and a measured analysis  of American political history.  Although I have voted "none of the above" in  many presidential elections, I'm confident that what these veterans of the Bush  White House have written will help Christian believers of any political persuasion  to act more responsibly in the public square. Their discussions of the purposes  of government (order, justice, virtue, and prosperity) and of the urgent need for  patient persuasion in political debate are especially insightful.Mark A.  NollFrancis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre DameIn  an age when many of the battles between religion and politics are nearing the boiling  point, City of Man is a primer for Christians seeking to find their rightful place  in the political arena. Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner issue a clarion call for  active Christian involvement in the form of calculated and thoughtful engagement.  Chock full of historical and theological wisdom, City of Man reminds Christians  that they should care about politics and - win or lose - never give up the fights  that matter most.William J. BennettWashington Fellow, The Claremont InstituteA  thoughtful, creative articulation of a new agenda for conservative politics by Christians.  One need not agree with all the assumptions or arguments to find this book a significant  contribution to Christian reflection on where our nation should go. The book offers  a significant challenge to both liberals and conservatives.Ronald J. SiderProfessor  of Theology, Holistic Ministry, and Public Policy at Palmer Theological SeminaryFiguring  out the appropriate relationship between politics andreligion for Christians is  a daunting task. Yet Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner have succeeded brilliantly.  In City of Man, they spell out a political theology for 21st century Christians  that rejects the narrow thinking of the Religious Right and the creeping secularism  of the Religious Left. City of Man is a two-fer. It's an enormously important book  on politics and on religion.Fred BarnesExecutive Editor, the Weekly StandardIn  City of Man, two of our nation's most gifted public intellectuals address the question:   How should religious believers understand their obligations as citizens of a modern  constitutional democratic republic?  Michael J. Gerson and Peter Wehner warn  their fellow Christians against, on the one hand, reducing religion to politics,  and, on the other, imagining that Christian faith has no relevance to our political  duties.  Addressing a range of challenging and timely issues, they show how  the resources of Christian faith can be marshaled to bring public policy more fully  into line with the inherent dignity of human beings as creatures fashioned in the  very image and likeness of God.Robert P. GeorgeMcCormick Professor of  Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions,  Princeton UniversityThis is book is a wonderful gift to all of us who care  deeply about Christian engagement in the political arena. Drawing on their experiences  of having worked day-to-day in the inner corridors of political power during times  of crisis, the authors offer us a marvelously clear and candid perspective on what  it means to seek the welfare of "the City of Man," while taking with utmost seriousness  our identity as citizens of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Richard J.  MouwPresident, Fuller Theological SeminaryWisdom in the biblical sense  is nourished at the intersection of God's character and our experience. Michael  Gerson and Peter Wehner write out of both a rich experience in the national political  arena and a deep immersion in biblical faith, and have given us a book of uncommon  wisdom. Their reflections on how religion and politics interact in our rapidly changing  culture are perceptive and challenging, combin[ing] a broad, historical understanding  of the issues with a thoroughly accessible style.Dr. Stephen A. HaynerPresident,  Columbia Theological Seminary