By Rowan Williams

Solidarity is an idea that has percolated from post-Revolutionary France, labor unions, Catholic, Islamic, and other religious traditions through the modern discussions of welfare and justice. But what does being in solidarity actually mean? How do we show solidarity with others? Tracing its historical uses and its theological permutations, Rowan Williams argues at its heart, solidarity is mutual recognition. It requires a lot of introspection. With the idea that others are not “just like us” rather we affirm that they are “fully themselves” and that we are all human.

Rowan Williams is one of those writers who writes in many genres and in different registers. By that I mean you may get a book of poetry, followed by one on the desert fathers spirituality for general use, and then a deeply academic work. This is a book in the philosophy/theology vein that I think requires some pre-requisite knowledge of history, theology, and philosophy to fully immerse yourself in this work (right now the “did not finish” is double those who have left reviews on Storygraph). That said, I found it insightful asking questions that people have had about solidarity in the current world.

320 pages

4.75/5