Introduction

No one is against human rights. It is obviously a good thing—until one starts to think about the meaning of the term and its implications. Then it shows itself to be an idea that polarizes, encouraging uncritical support and also extreme reaction from both secularists and religionists.

Author and Expertise

John Warwick Montgomery, who is both a lawyer and a theologian, is uniquely qualified to address the question of human rights.

Analysis and Conclusion

In clear, easily understood language, he analyzes what human rights are and addresses the crucial question, "How can human rights, properly understood, be legitimated?" Montgomery shows that if there is a foundation for human rights, it must be sought in a transcendent perspective, in the revelational content of the Bible.