In this eloquent and thoughtful book, Allen Hertzke offers an enlightening survey of the new politics of human rights, and shows how religious activism has been translated into practical politics. This is a noteworthy study of how social movements work.

Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies, Pennsylvania State University

Allen Hertzke brings us a readable and interesting account of a recent and surprising phenomenon: conservative evangelicals engaging in the traditionally liberal arena of international humanitarian and human rights advocacy.

Evangelical Missions Quarterly

In lively prose, Freeing God's Children details the growth of one of the most significant, and ignored, developments in recent U.S. foreign policy, the growth of a large, religion based human rights movement. The story it tells shows how religion shapes American politics in ways not envisaged by either its admirers or detractors, and how foreign policy cannot be interpreted apart from religion. Its lessons need urgently to be digested in order to accelerate the too slowly growing realization that, without understanding religion, we cannot understand international politics.

Paul Marshall, PhD, BSc, RGN, RMN, Freedom House's Center For Religious Freedom

How did American evanglicals and Jews join together to become one of the most powerful human rights lobbies? Hertzke combines solid research, perceptive analysis and eloquent prose to provide a definitive answer. For anyone wishing to understand how religion is reshaping the U.S. foreign policy agenda-often in surprising ways-this book is a must read.

Luis Lugo, director, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Hertzke's book is a must-read for any person of faith interested in the role and promise of the church in the global human rights movement.

Prism

Allen Hertzke has struck paydirt with a riveting book that tells an engaging story about religious activists in the public arena. This is more than a story about singular or short-lived development. It suggests that America's 'new world order'-like that of world powers in the past-is more influenced by religion than realpolitick and trade statistics would suggest. The story is well told; the implications are profound.

Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University