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Yes
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2 (15%)
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No
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11 (84%)
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Don’t know
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0 (0%)
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Votes so far: 13
Well that’s fairly conclusive – readers of this blog are against nuclear weapons by a massive majority. That’s kind of comforting. Anyone a member of CND?
Jesus for President is Shane Claiborne’s second book after The Irresistible Revolution. This first book has given Shane a fast track to prominence and he’s found a considerable following here in the UK with his regular trips to Greenbelt amongst others. I think Brits like American Christians such as Tony Campolo and Jim Wallis that aren’t republican moral majority types.
Anyway, Jesus for President is an attempt in this election year to flesh out what Shane and fellow author Chris, think the politics of Jesus might look like. It’s an interesting read.
Firstly a comment about the design, this is an interesting book to just look at, with colour, different fonts and doodlings, pictures, ready highlighted or underlined bits, all of which keep you turning pages but also hints at the type of creativity that influences the authors. From a design point of view this book stands out.
However we must go for substance over style and this is a book of some substance. Here are the major influences of this book and if you don’t like them you won’t like this: John Howard Yoder, Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Theresa, Jim Wallis, Gerhard Lohfink, Greg Boyd, Eberhard Arnold, Ched Myers, Desmond Tutu, NT Wright and add in a dose of Latin American liberation theologians and you’re almost there.
The book is in four sections, first tracing the history of the people of God – basic premise is that it was better before there were kings. The second section looks at Jesus – the servant king and prince of peace.
*Slight Tangent* Mark Driscoll headline speaker at Newfrontiers, Leadership conference this summer is quoted in this book (although not in an approving way) – see p194. Here is Mark’s quote
“Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelation, Jesus is a prize fighter with a tattoo down his leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up.”
- Relevant magazine – Jan/Feb 2007
And the to illustrate their point underneath is written “I preach Christ crucified,” – Paul.
So Jesus is presented as someone who was political but not perhaps a politics that would be shared by those interested in power or influence.
Thirdly, Christianity and Empire – summing up they see Constantine adopting Christianity as the religion of the Empire as a BAD THING.
Fourthly, Christians should live differently – care for the poor, not join in wars or armies, not be interested in power, care for the environment, be more generous.
There’s lots here I agree with, a lot of the books in the bibliography are on my shelves – it’s provoking and funny and it genuinely seeks to find a way to live authentically for Jesus today.
The context is they see lots of similarities between the USA and the Roman Empire and they see Christianity flourishing for the better when it leaved in disharmony before Constantine than in the compromise that followed afterwards. For Claiborne post-Constantine the church is more often than not compromised by its relationship with the state and the parallels are too obvious to miss – the church in the US is compromised by its close love for and association with the state.
The biggest theme throughout the book is Claiborne’s advocacy of pacifism and peacemaking as the way of Christ and even advocating that Christians should leave the armed forces. It’s a strong stand. It surprised me as I expected more to challenge materialism or individualism or corporation church or the environment but most of all it challenged the idea of redemptive violence and calls it a myth. For me their most interesting arguments came in the appendixes where they engage in the challenging texts and do so quite convincingly (see Yoder for the full treatment though).
And here’s my biggest complaint – for too much of the time this book appeals to people who will already be in sympathy with them. It doesn’t always adequately engage in the views of those who disagree, so I fear that this will lead to too much talking past each other and not enough engaging with each other. Of course I can’t imagine too many republicans or conservatives picking this up in the first place, which is a shame because they should.
So to sum up, Jesus wouldn’t be running for President and neither should Christians, our interest is in being kingdom people not power people. And if Jesus was running for President, then lots would change!! Health care, taxes, abolition of the military or at least the abandonment of nuclear weapons etc… But Christians should see themselves as living not the good life of the western or American dream but as Christians living in the shadow of an Empire, and should live and love as the early Christians lived and loved, often being willing to suffer for saying no to the Empire. Engaging with this book gives you a clear view of how the Christian left (although by saying left – I’ve missed the point – because Christians shouldn’t be either left or right, but hopefully you know what I mean) think. Worth reading, whether you agree or not.
Freedom of Simplicity is a classic and a must read for everyone interested in seeking out the simple life in the 21st century. Few people will have written so thoughtfully and drawn so deeply from the wells of Christian experience than Foster.I do sometimes find Foster too thoughtful, he goes to great pains to find language that is reflective, considered and balanced but perhaps in doing so he lacks the punch that is at times needed. For me, when reading a book that is designed to challenge then there must be moments of clarity where the writing is like splashing ice cool water onto a hot, tired and dusty face, the result is an intake of breath, a stinging experience but one that is ultimately refreshing and one that sharpens the senses. Foster is too gentle for me, even when he makes his most stinging rebukes of contemporary Christianity and modern society.
However having said all of that, there is so much to think about in this book, so much to draw on, so much to revisit and think about that probably one reading is not enough. But to gain the ‘single eye’ where our focus is on seeking the kingdom then this is a helpful and essential guide.
One of the issues I have with the ‘ethical movement’ is that it remains a private affair yet while ethics and ethical living may be intensely personal it can’t be private. There is an acknowledgment that we’re acting out of a sense of personal commitment to the greater good of our planet and mankind, there is a save the world while we can edge to it and that does force out into the open about issues that don’t affect my day to day life – like being against nuclear weapons….
As a church pastor, we are to be a people of peace and I cannot in good conscience support moves to retain and develop weapons of mass destruction. For arguments against see CND
It was great to see Christians and American evangelicals included being proactive about something other than the world ending or voting for George Bush. Long may that continue.
The evening’s viewing took a curious turn as I watched a parliamentary committee debate the UK’s plan to renew its nuclear arsenal. Frankly there are no good reasons. I’ve told my MP, I’ve signed a petition, now darn it I’ll have to go and rally about it. Does the fact I know they won’t listen mean I’d be right to give in to apathy? What do you think?
I believe Jesus when he said 'life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions'. I believe he offers something better. This blog is mostly about that search.
I'm also a husband, a father, church planter, keen runner, reader, and motorcyclist. These and a few other things make guest appearances from time to time.
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