This book examines the changing relationship between faith and politics. For the best part of 1700 years, the institutional church has enjoyed a hand-in-hand relationship with government. Indeed, the church has often been seen as the glue that has stopped political systems from disintegrating into anarchy. But in this post-Christendom era the relation of Church and State has weakened to the point where the church can no longer claim to play any significant part in Government. What does the future hold? Where is it all heading? What should be done in the face of radicalised religion?

The aim of this response to the new CTBI report on the ethics of affluence, offered by the theological think tank Ekklesia, is to clarify what it says and what it means; to reflect on its approach and how it justifies it; and then to look at how it makes use of theology in articulating principles for engaging market economics. We argue that while the document contains useful analysis and ideas, it is theologically weak in ways that may relate to other inadequacies. But we welcome it as a contribution to an ongoing and important discussion.