Political Visions & Illusions

I don’t blame you if it’s the last thing you want to be reading these days, but I recently finished Political Visions & Illusions: A Survey & Christian Critique of Contemporary Ideologies by David Koyzis. The author, who taught political science at Redeemer University College in Ontario for many years, cuts through the noise to assess five prevailing isms: liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, democratism, and socialism.

Core to his argument is the conviction that while each of these ideologies contains elements of truth, at the center of each is a “religious” story that ultimately constitutes idolatry. It’s a radical argument to make, but I’m (mostly) persuaded, even if I find some of the ideologies to be more compatible with my faith than others. In the latter chapters of the book, Koyzis points to some political alternatives (not ideologies as such) that I find especially compelling.

Give yourself permission not to read it right now. But given the state of our union, I think you’ll find this book to be helpful – and hopeful – if and when you do make time for it.