A wide-ranging look at Christianity and human rights.

This book addresses the relationship of Christianity and human rights-a relationship fraught with ambiguity. While human rights discourse arose in a Christian culture, it has sometimes stood in opposition to organized Christianity. Christianity has been a champion of human rights; on other occasions it has been a major violator of them. Contributors to this book explore both positive and negative views of human rights arising from Christian traditions. Among the issues discussed are the sources of ideas on human rights, Christian influences on international human rights covenants and conventions, Christian theology and human rights, the right to change religions, Roman Catholic perspectives, and Christian peace activism and human rights. Christian discourse is juxtaposed with the proposed Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions, which is included.

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Arvind Sharma is Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University. His books include Religious Ferment in Modern India (with H. W. French, 1981), The Gītārthasangraha of Abhinavagupta (1982), The Hindu Gītā (1986), A Hindu Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion (1991), and A Buddhist Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion (forthcoming) .

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"Adeney and Sharma's anthology makes for easy, though provocative, reading. The material is well-organized and well-researched. The intent of the writing is clear and straightforward that the book is not political in terms of favoring one religion over another. All points of view of different historical, philosophical, political, and religious influences on human rights are given equal weight." — Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

"This book discusses the question of Christianity and human rights in a coherent and sophisticated fashion. It is a vital work with a range of perspectives that elevate the quality of discussion." — Curt Cadorette, coeditor of Liberation Theology: An Introductory Reader