Evangelicals Now
<< February 1999 >>

Baroness Cox

A voice for the voiceless

BARONESS COX
A Voice For The Voiceless
By Andrew Boyd
Lion Publishing. 448 pages. £20.00
ISBN 0 7459 3734 9

The name of Baroness Caroline Cox is not unfamiliar to EN readers; in her work with Christian Solidarity International (now Christian Solidarity Worldwide), she challenges 'compassion fatigue' and campaigns tirelessly (literally, as the book makes clear!) for those who are forgotten and have no chance to speak up for themselves.
A Voice for the Voiceless is an account of Caroline Cox's involvement in different, but equally desperate situations, starting with the plight of children in orphanages in the former Soviet Union, and continuing in Nagorno Karabakh, Myanmar, and Sudan (told in separate sections). An appendix details her home political involvement, while early chapters give a biographical outline, including her elevation to the peerage in 1982 (not 1992 as on page 50).
As the preface points out: 'This book can be read on several levels. It is the story of an indefatigable human rights campaigner with a wicked sense of humour, who risks her all in foreign lands, and is, I believe, fascinating for that. Then the context against which her campaigning is set gives this story an added dimension.'
Anyone expecting a biography in the strict sense will not find it here. Nor will they find it always an easy read, as some of the political situations described are extremely complex. But anyone with a concern for human rights, and particularly the plight of Christians in these three areas, will be better informed from this book. The author has researched the issues carefully and presents them in detail, along with a wealth of footnotes to back up his findings. While admitting to a strong personal interest in the issues, he does not play down criticisms made against Baroness Cox, and deals fairly with them.
Amid the appalling tragedies narrated in this book, stories of courage and faith shine through. Most of all, the continued courageous efforts of Caroline Cox herself are shown to stand clearly in the line of the great Christian social reformers such as Shaftesbury and Wilberforce, who could not stand aside from suffering, but were compelled by their faith into action on behalf of the suffering and helpless.

Alison Walley
Alison Walley is a freelance editor