Human Rights and the Christian, A Historical Perspective, by Gerard Charmley, published by Gospel Standard Trust Publications, paperback, 267 pages, £6.00; may be obtained from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Human rights are much more strongly and more widely asserted today than has ever previously been the case. A former secretary general of the United Nations has, for instance, stated that “human rights are the foundation of human existence and co-existence” (p 7). This, obviously, is an unsatisfactory statement, for it ignores God and His revelation. To speak of human rights may not necessarily leave the idea of human duties out of account, but it very certainly tends to overshadow a sense of our duty to our fellow human beings and, especially, our duty to the great God who created us. A scriptural perspective would help us to place much greater emphasis on these duties.
As its subtitle suggests, this book gives a great deal of attention to the history of human rights, from ancient times to the present age. The author is a Strict Baptist minister with an appropriate academic background for such a study as this; he has a doctorate in political history. Besides examining the history of human rights, his intention in writing includes: “to set forth why this idea matters in our present age, and to suggest some pointers regarding the interaction of Christianity and human rights at present and in the future”
(p 16). But the author never loses sight of the overriding authority of Scripture in the area of human rights.
Dr Charmley concludes that, “if the right claimed by another, or the right which we intend to claim, is opposed to the holy law of God, in that case it is necessary . . . to conclude that this right is no such thing. Additionally, in the case of our own rights, we must ask whether any claim which we might make would be for the good of the Church or society as a whole” (p 264). He further states, “Whilst there are Christian, unChristian and even anti-Christian notions of the rights of man, the Church must not lose sight of the fact that the message which has been entrusted to her is not that of the rights of man, but of ‘the grace of God that bringeth salvation’ (Titus 2:11)” (p 266-7).
The history which takes up most of this book is certainly helpful, placing in perspective today’s emphasis on human rights, but many readers might find more useful a briefer publication which focused more exclusively on the principles lying behind this issue. Having said that, one can recommend the book as giving the biblical principles which we should apply to this area of contemporary thinking.