Liberty

Chana B. Cox argues for liberalism, the political tradition that sees government as existing chiefly to safeguard each person's freedom. Her book traces how, from the seventeenth century onward, liberal thought and religious belief have been closely linked. In her account, when that link breaks, liberalism weakens and religion is more likely to turn oppressive.

The book brings together libertarians, free market economists, and members of the Christian right. These groups often disagree about human nature and the structure of the universe, yet they share a commitment to limited government and personal liberty. Cox examines that common ground through both philosophical reasoning and historical analysis.