Political Thought: A Student's Guide

Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition

by Hunter Baker, David S. Dockery (Editor)

Politics affect everyone everywhere. Yet most people do not know how to communicate or think methodically (much less unemotionally) about the issues at hand. What we need is for our thinking to be grounded in the basic framework of order, freedom, justice, and equality. Award-winning professor Hunter Baker helps political amateurs gain a foundational understanding of the subject and encourages seasoned political observers to find a fresh perspective in this book. Learn how to fruitfully consider and discuss politics, and gain a greater capacity for evaluating political proposals and the claims that go with them.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Christian, Theology, Cultural, Education

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2012

About the author

Hunter Baker, J.D., Ph.D. is the author of four books on politics and religion and many chapters, articles, and essays. He is provost and dean of faculty at North Greenville University.

Reviews

[Aden Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baker’s book is a helpful and brief overview accomplishing its intended purpose.

[JM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, a helpful little intro to political philosophy. Baker breaks down political thought around main thinkers (Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, and the much later Rawls) and their main ideas (liberty, order, equality, and justice).
While the book is a primer, Baker's own views of justice being only civil rights rather than fairness come out. Baker offers some good criticism of Rawl's view of justice, and I would have liked to see more, but the strictures of this series limit his comments here. Also, I would have like to see Baker develop his thoughts on large government more, particularly because I feel that many American political conservatives put forward weak arguments against it.
For all the good of the book, it is an attempt to explain the Christian perspective on political thought, and I thought the book fell short on that goal. The book, in many ways, was simply a political primer from a conservative perspective, giving fodder to the belief that to be a Christian one must be a political conservative. While conservative politicians have catered much to evangelical concerns, suspicion over big government (one of Baker's main themes) does not a Christian make. Another shortfall would be the assumption that greater personal freedom genders greater ability for moral responsibility (a la John Stuart Mill). From a theological standpoint, this argument seems to make too much of common grace and too little of depravity. Last, while his comments on Aquinas and Augustine's impact were helpful, there may need to be a more serious evaluation of what the natural law of Aquinas is and whether it completely aligns with Scripture.
In summary, a good politically conservative introduction to political thought, but not the best introduction to a Christian perspective on politics.

[Brian Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rating this book based on what it tries to achieve and whether it succeeds. It's supposed be a short introduction to political thought, or political philosophy. Designed for college students, it attempts to get the reader to think about the role of government and what value we place on order, freedom, and justice. This book does not address many specific political issues or advocate one party over against another. Rather, it deals with foundational issues. It seems to me that when people talk politics, they often assume what the role of government should be, instead of examining their assumptions. I would recommend that everyone read this book, which is interesting and well-written (and, again, quite short).

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving it four stars though I think it probably deserves 3 and a half. It is well written, highly accessible, and in some places provides a stellar portrayal of political philosophy. However, the weakest portions are those handling Christian political philosophy, giving only brief attention to Augustine, Luther, and Aquinas. Giving scant attention here led Baker to rely more upon his own viewpoint in drawing conclusions, which took away from the excellent expositions in other sections. There is also a bit of sentimentalism that detracted from the overall value of the book, particularly in discussion on Martin Luther King, Jr.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

I -thoroughly- enjoyed this book as an introduction to political philosophy, especially as a Christian. I may not agree with Dr. Baker's conclusions about political philosophy (for issues beyond the scope of this book) but, nonetheless, he accurately tells a brief history of western political thought, asks some good, basic questions to get the political novice thinking, and attempts to answer his own questions. This book is certainly geared towards conservative political philosophy. I recommend.

[Robert Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! Dwelt more in the scope of philosophical thought in regards to hiw we should view and have governments operate. Well thought out and highly educational. A must read for the Jesus follower student.

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The books in this series are aimed at college undergraduates, but I think they’ll be great for high school age teenagers as well. This volume is concise and clear, and is a good introduction to the major issues in politics, as well as a distinctly Christian perspective on those issues.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good! A solid intro to the concepts and problems of thinking politically. Perhaps a little narrow in places, but any more content would make it unwieldy.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written introduction to political theory.

[Dan Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good refresher on some of the key thinkers who've shaped modern political thought - from Plato and Aristotle, to Aquinas and Augustin, and Hobbes, Locke, Luther, and King.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

It succeeds at what it attempts to do, but it was an extremely frustrating read when it wasn’t putting me to sleep (literally).

[Jordan Litts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good intro to political thought.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any Christian political scientist who heartily thanks Bill Buckley and Russell Kirk in his introduction is alright by me! This work is the most theoretical of any I've read in the series, and with political thought I think that is necessary. This is basically a brief history of 350 years of Western political thought as it shaped the Founders of this country. Baker recognizes the overarching need for freedom, and for justice only when that freedom is abridged (this "negative" view of justice is the only thing to keep us from an ever-growing Leviathan). I thought Baker could have spent more time on application and concrete examples, but his overall foundation is good. His discussion of how Christianity relates to all this was disappointing, especially in a series that sets out to reclaim the "Christian intellectual tradition." Perhaps Baker could flesh this out in a full-length book.

[Kyle Rapinchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baker provides a succinct and helpful introduction to political thought. He includes brief surveys of major political philosophers such as Hobbes, Mill, Locke, and Rousseau, as well as surveying some key political themes like justice, order, and freedom. He does an excellent job of surveying the role of government generally and specific Christian contribution to government. This is an excellent introduction in both clarity and scope and I highly recommend it to any who wish to foray into the field of political philosophy.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Politics engenders controversy faster than most other topics. Mix in a Christian approach to politics and the powder keg is lit. Yet Baker insists that a Christ-centered worldview will inevitably become involved in the political arena since the issues of political theory—liberty, justice, peace—are not only things that God has spoken of but things which Christian freedom obligates us to pursue wisely. Well-written, but clearly in need of further chapters than this format allowed.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter Baker has written an excellent, concise introduction to political thought. Don't let the size of this slim volume fool you. Baker carefully guides students through the vital questions of political philosophy: what is the nature of justice, what is the proper role of government and what should be its limits, and what is the nature of a good society. I am impressed with Baker's ability to address such a large subject with clarity.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to political philosophy and thinking. Readable, thought provoking and engaging. Obviously, a great book for students but equally good for anyone wanting to get a basic handle on he classic debates in this area and think a bit more deeply about the fundamental issues involved.

[Brian Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunter Baker does a good job in a brief space of describing different approaches to government, key themes such as order, freedom, justice, and the Christian's role in the political process. This is a good introduction to political thought from a Christian perspective.

[Joseph Sunde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to competing visions of humanity (Rousseau, Locke, Hobbes)and their political implications, particularly for Christians.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some gems here. Very helpful.

[Nicholas Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is helpful in many regards as a lay person's guide to politics. It grounds its heady themes and political philosophy with illustrative and tangible examples and analogies.