A sequence of sparkling essays by one of our leading public theologians, exploring and defending the enduring role of Christianity in Western thought, politics and culture.



What has Christianity ever done for us? A lot more than you might think, as Nick Spencer reveals in this fresh exploration of our cultural origins. Looking at the big ideas that characterize the West, such as human dignity, the rule of law, human rights, science - and even, paradoxically, atheism and secularism - he traces the varied ways in which many of our present values grew up and flourished in distinctively Christian soil. Always alert to the tensions and the mess of history, and careful not to overstate the Christian role in shaping our present values, Spencer shows how a better awareness of what we owe to Christianity can help us as we face new cultural challenges.