Religious Socialism: Faith in Action for a Better World

by Fran Quigley

For most of this nation’s history, religious socialists made their case to a population that was, for the most part, hospitable to religion and resistant to socialism. Today, those trends are moving in opposite directions. A majority of young people and persons of color in the United States express support for socialism. At the same time, even as religious affiliation has dropped, most Americans still say religion is important to them. Religious Socialism provides an introduction to how those powerful forces come together in the form of religious socialism, the intersection between a devotion to God and a system that promotes social justice in the world. Many of its champions are profiled in this volume, including classic figures like Eugene Debs and Dorothy Day, as well as contemporary figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Cornel West.

200 pages, Paperback

Published August 25, 2021

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many Americans have dismissed the democratic socialism of Bernie Sanders as too idealistic and others have condemned socialism as a form of communism. In his timely book, Fran Quigley demonstrates the religious roots of socialism that predate Marx and Stalin. Using examples from the early Christian church, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Latter Day Saints (Mormons) among others, Quigley shows how caring for the least among us is a tenet of most religions. He paints portraits of individuals whose faith informed their socialism and whose quest for social justice informed their faith. I have a masters degree from Boston University School of Theology and this year earned my JD degree. This book inspired me to continue by own quest for social justice by drawing on both degrees to use my faith and commitment to service as a Quaker to emulate these heroes in an effort to change our capitalistic society to one that embraces the fundamental rights of all people to food, housing, water, and health care.

[Aeryn Longuevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book serves as a great overview of how various activists from multiple faith backgrounds have come to the conclusion that socialism is the natural extension of their faiths' mandates to "love thy neighbor" and provide for all in the community instead of hoarding wealth. The main focus of this book is the relationship between Abrahamic religions and democratic socialism in the United States context, but it does include perspectives from other faith backgrounds and from people not from the US.
Many of the people featured (including the author himself) are contributors to the Democratic Socialists of America's Religion and Socialism Working Group, which is referenced multiple times in the text.

[Justin Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to this with the wrong expectations; as others have noted, this could strike you as an inspiring read. But I was hoping for a bit less inspiration, and a bit more information. It's very, very quick, but it does introduce you to a bunch of fun people. Straight up, I did not know that Mormon Socialism was a thing.

[Colleen Shaddox · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring read. With history and profiles, the book dispels the myth that progressive activism and religion are at odds. Quite the opposite. If you've wished that the Right would stop coopting religion for its own ends, this is the book for you.