The Politics of Human Frailty

“. . . an important and timely work. Insole succeeds in challenging some of the wholesale denunciations of liberalism in recent theology and exposes some of the more implausible claims of the radically orthodox.” —Professor David Fergusson, University of Edinburgh

"Insole's tightly argued work has much to recommend it. He demolishes John Milbank's ill-advised appeal to Foucauldian genealogy. Furthermore, his appeal to Burke, Acton, and Hooker will be useful to readers more accustomed to hearing these arguments in a more contemporary context. If liberalism's defenders must accept self-imposed constraints, its Christian critics often insouciantly dismiss the question of what might replace a society without such attenuation. There are costs of liberal citizenship. Insole's work demonstrates that there are good Christian reasons for accepting them." —The Journal of Religion

“Insole offers a theological justification for close partnership between Christians and advocates of political liberalism. Well-documented and scholarly, his book provides a broad brush approach and operates on a large canvas, historically and conceptually . . . [Insole] cautiously and modestly builds up a theological defence of political liberalism.” —Heythrop Journal

"This book is a lucid presentation of the modern confusion over the concept of political liberalism. Insole's book seeks to dispose of some longstanding cliches and stereotypes, its primary concern being the theological aspect of the issue from historical and contemporary perspectives." —Journal of Markets & Morality

"The Politics of Human Frailty" is a highly perceptive book which deserves to be read by theologians, policitians, church leaders, indeed by anyone interested in the defence of liberal values." —Times Literary Supplement

“Christopher Insole defends political liberalism against its critics, including Oliver O'Donovan, Graham Ward, Catherine Pickstock, John Milbank, Stanley Hauerwas, and John Howard Yoder. He does so in part by dividing contemporary theologians into two camps. First are those who claim truth for their doctrines and use them to make judgments about good and evil. Second are those who make no such claims for the doctrines and eschew making judgments. Then, based on this division, he argues for the latter and against the former.” —Modern Theology

"Christopher Insole combines this new historical study of the roots of liberalism with a systematic defense of political liberalism in theological terms. His book is important reading for anyone concerned about how religion shapes the political thinking of leaders and people in the Western democracies today. This is a work that challenges us to think critically about what is happening to religion and politics everywhere in the English-speaking world today, with full awareness of the history that brought us here." —Theology Today

“In sum, Insole challenges theological critics of liberalism to broaden their paradigm. The book is important for all concerned with how religion shapes the political thinking of the world today.” —Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies