God’s Joust, God’s Justice: Law and Religion in Western Tradition

As players in the drama of human society, we are only dimly aware of the whole sweep of the story. While savage excess occasionally prevails, we still struggle to reflect God’s image and order in our societies. Using law and religion as a pair of lenses, John Witte expertly surveys the stormy yet lush landscape of the Western tradition. First presenting a concise history of rights in the West, Witte then focuses on a diverse yet coherent series of landmarks, from Luther’s Freedom of a Christian to contemporary Russian religious freedom, from battles over the First Amendment to the ongoing importance of marriage. Throughout the book, Witte’s reflections center on the constant tension between religion and law, between church and state. God’s Joust, God’s Justice provides a clear vista of the major debates over law and religion in the West, enabling readers to competently proceed toward a more integrated understanding of these foundational elements of Western democracy.