Toward a Theory of Human Rights

Perry succeeds admirably by presenting a model of stimulating intellectual conversation. He engages both philosophers suspicious of a religious foundation for the idea of human rights (which Perry affirms) and religious authorities who publicly teach on contested moral issues. He presents his conversation partners' arguments with nuanced fairness, while subjecting those arguments to the rigorous critical analysis that intellectual respect demands. -- Theological Studies Michael Perry's book is provocative in the strict and best sense: it will provoke critical pushback and in so doing initiate a much-needed conversation about human rights, religion, and liberalism. A timely intervention by one of our most illustrious commentators on religion in politics whose creativity and erudition is on full display throughout the text. --Christopher Eberle, United States Naval Academy Michael Perry's superb new book is an eloquent and compelling contribution to the development of a comprehensive theory of human rights. A model of clarity and precision, Toward a Theory of Human Rights identifies all the critical issues and serious questions across its impressively broad scope and addresses them with Perry's characteristic and rare combination of passionate humanity and exemplary scholarly rigor. --Stephen Gardbaum, UCLA Does religious belief undermine or support commitment to a moral and legal regime of human rights? No question is more urgent in our world today. Perry's argument cannot be ignored by any scholar working at the intersection of faith, law, and morality. Quite simply, Perry has changed the terms of the discussion. --M. Cathleen Kaveny, University of Notre Dame