In the past decade philosophers and political theorists have increasingly pondered the role of religion in a modern secular society, and of the possible value of religion as a resource for contemporary thinking. The global resurgence of a new religious politics - graphically symbolised by 9/11 - has added a new urgency to this project; how is religion to be integrated, and if necessary contested, in such a time? As this study shows, the desire to integrate religion into a 'progressive' politics is not new. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the Common Wealth movement, this work seeks to bring together for the first time the religious and political commitments of four of the leading thinkers in the movement, bringing to light the significance of the relationships between them.

Vincent Geoghegan is Professor of Political Theory at Queen's University Belfast.

Introduction 1. John Macmurray: Christ and Marx 2. Kenneth Ingram: The Christian and the Sexual - Homosexuality, Bisexuality, Pederasty 3. Olaf Stapledon: utopia and Worship 4. Sir Richard Acland and the moment of Common Wealth 5. Conclusion