





































Ecclesial Futures
2023 – Volume 4 – Issue 2

B O O K  R E V I E W

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Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef18342

DOI: 10.54195/ef18342

Leith, Jenny. 2023. Political Formation: Being 
Formed by the Spirit in Church and World

London: SCM Press.
ISBN: 9780334063032

Reviewed by Bernhard Schröder

Where and how do we learn to live as disciples in a post-Christendom era? Jenny 
Leith tackles this question in her book Political Formation. It is based on her doctoral 
thesis at Durham University.

What sets this book apart is the author’s unique background and experiences outside 
of academia. Before pursuing her doctoral studies, she worked in politics as a parlia-
mentary researcher and then in social policy. These engagements have undoubt-
edly influenced her approach to theological discourse, and this influence is evident 
throughout the pages of the book. She describes her work as a case study within the 
Church of England which has specific challenges such as a multicultural society and 
a colonial history. However, she is convinced that her theory of formation has high 
relevance when applied in another context (3).

The main thesis challenges the traditional view that Christian formation primarily 
occurs within the church, with the expectation of then applying Christian ethics 
in civil life. Leith questions this view due to two significant factors. First, she high-
lights the church’s extensive guilt, she names issues such as sexual abuse and white 
supremacy. Leith doubts whether the church can still provide a reliable ethical 
purpose after moral failings (1). Second, she contends that being a disciple often 
involves navigating the complexities of everyday choices. It is rather a “struggle for 
integrity amid uncertainty and limited time” (2) than an opportunity for a dramatic 
act of clear witness to Christ. Therefore, Leith’s thesis proposes that Christians are 
formed by the Spirit both within the church and in the world. She defines formation 
as the process of being shaped for virtuous action with the ultimate goal of flour-
ishing (7).



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The book follows a thoughtful structure as indicated by its subtitle Being Formed 
by the Spirit in Church and World. The initial focus lies on formation through one’s 
connection to and participation in the church, which is explored in the first two chap-
ters.

Leith refers to the works of Sam Wells and Graham Ward, who see prayer and the 
Eucharist (23) as the main places for formation. According to them, being formed 
in church often means a “counter-formation” (25). Christians provide virtues and 
actions needed by the world, which is seen as a deficit place. Leith criticizes this view. 
Rather, she argues, being formed in the world brings innovation (31). The church 
can’t offer all resources needed for formation in itself. She asks: “Can we properly 
form love for God and for those around us with the established practises?” (50) Her 
answer is no, because “we require the perspective of others to know ourselves” (52) 
– and to be formed.

As a result, she poses the question of what a church that enables formation by the 
Spirit would look like, which she addresses in chapters 3–5. Here she proposes three 
“twin callings”: The church is at the same time a) oikos (household) and polis (a polit-
ical community), b) confident and humble, c) gathering and scattering. With the help 
of these dynamics, she proposes that “the church is called into being by God and the 
church remains unfinished and incomplete.” (73) These callings form the church to 
dwell in the current complexity (83). In chapter 4 she describes the failures of the 
church in executing power such as white supremacy and class-based hierarchy (89). 
She names the role of Anglican theology in the context of colonialism and slavery 
(96–9) and the clericalism within the church (94). “The church’s tendency to under-rec-
ognise the presence of sin in its life is not, therefore an accidental feature of ecclesial 
polity: rather we will never be fully aware of how unaware we are of sin.” (101)

She offers a “spirit-led ecclesiology” (87), which recognizes the own malformation 
and is clear about the fact that God is at work at the same time.

Leith is convinced that each member of the church is a unique gift to church and 
world. In chapter 5 she looks at the formation of the church through each member. 
She adopts Jenny Daggers’ term “troubling gifts” (117). According to Leith, “being 
brought into recognition of sinfulness is itself a gift” of the Holy Spirit. Through recog-
nition of sin, lament and reconciliation the church can be shaped by the Spirit (124). 
Looking at the work of the Spirit with the people at the margins of society means 
gathering the scattered experiences of its member as gifts (125) forming the church. 
“Ecclesial inclusiveness is thus not pursued for its own sake, but out of the convic-
tion that the life of the church depends on the participation of every member” (131).



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Ecclesial Futures – DOI: 10.54195/ef18342

In the third part of the book, chapters 6–7, she examines formation by the Spirit in 
the context of the world, particularly through political engagement. In chapter 6 she 
offers insights and examples of how an engagement in political structures offers 
formation as a disciple of Christ. In politics, one encounters the stranger, and politics 
is thus a field to learn how to love your enemy (161).

In chapter 7 Leith refers to Bonhoeffer’s Ethics and the teaching of Mandates. She 
outlines the necessity of a Christian disciple to “let go of certain forms of personal 
sovereignty” (176) because of the uncertainty of political action. However, exactly 
this place of personal loss is the place of the beginning of life as a person whose 
identity rests in God. By this, a Christian is set free to political action with responsi-
bility (177).

In a concluding chapter, Leith applies her view of the formation of individuals to the 
formation of society on a national level. She looks at the field of civic identity and 
national polity and how the church can play a role here (190).

The book is well structured. Questions and summaries guide the reader in the 
progress and foster their reflection. The book is very accessible, providing an exten-
sive index of names and subjects, facilitating further exploration of the material.

Leith introduces a new paradigm for understanding the interaction between the 
church and the world. This is neither the “Benedict Option” (Rod Dreher), a with-
drawal from the world into a parallel universe nor a simplistic public theology to 
regain political power once possessed.

Furthermore, it offers valuable insights and ideas for fostering a church that is open 
to the transformative work of the Spirit.

Nevertheless, a weakness for me is the lack of substantial engagement with biblical 
topics, particularly in the chapters addressing sin and reconciliation. According to 
scripture and confession the Spirit has promised to be found in the context of the 
Bible, prayer and ecclesial community. In Ecclesial Futures Vol. 3,2, Mike Harrison 
proposes a link with neuroscience to formation within the church, which seems to 
fill these gaps.

In conclusion, Political Formation: Being Formed by the Spirit in Church and World is 
an important contribution to the discussion about Christian formation in a post- 
Christendom era. The book challenges traditional notions of formation and offers a 
paradigm shift in understanding the interaction between the church and the world. 



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A  church open to the work of the Spirit in unexpected ways is envisioned and it 
invites work on this vision.

About the author
Bernhard Schröder, Practical Theologian, Institute for the Research on Mission and 
Church, Austria.
bernhard.schroeder@i-m-k.org

mailto:bernhard.schroeder@i-m-k.org

