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Zondervan

Jesus and the Powers - Print

Jesus and the Powers - Print

$56.25 NZD
$56.25 NZD
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Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies

By N T (Tom) Wright;  Michael F Bird

Soft cover.208pp
ISBN 9780310162247
Zondervan (2024)

[Allow 4 weeks].

In today's world, marked by fear, fragmentation, and geopolitical crises, Wright and Bird’s message is clear: Jesus is king, and His kingdom should be the focal point of the Church's witness and work.

By engaging with politics through the lens of kingdom principles, Christians can play a vital role in shaping societies that reflect God's justice and compassion.

Engaging with politics as a Christian is a complex issue. Wright and Bird recommend a balanced and principled stance. They advocate for active participation in political processes while simultaneously opposing schemes rooted in autocracy and nationalism.

Their urgent call for Christians to navigate political upheaval emphasises the importance of identifying the nature of the kingdom amid turbulent times. Rather than withdrawing entirely or becoming mere pawns in political games, they encourage believers to contribute faithfully while upholding the principles of justice, compassion, and righteousness.

Drawing from political theology, biblical insights, and church history, Wright and Bird assert that building for Jesus's kingdom necessitates confronting empire in all its forms. This approach entails fostering free democratic societies while vehemently opposing autocratic and nationalist agendas.

“This is an ambitious book of the sort that only two seasoned theologians and (equally important) true lovers of Jesus could conceive of and write.
And it is a book Christians need in this time of war, political turmoil, and threats to human flourishing around the world – many of these, the fruit of arrogant earthly empires.
What should the church’s response be to such profound brokenness? And what should the response of individual Christians be?
The book’s arguments marry political theology with sound history, both ancient and modern, all to show that ‘the kingdom of God is not from this world, but it is emphatically for this world.’ History shows that other lords and kings will rise and fall, trampling others underfoot in the process, but there will always, only be one lord and king. And that is a call to action for us all.”
Nadya Williams, author of Cultural Christians in the Early Church: A Historical and Practical Introduction to Christians in the Greco-Roman World

 

Keywords

Kingdom Principles, Jesus is King, Church Witness, Political Engagement, Opposing Autocracy, Upholding Justice, Confronting Empire, Free Democratic Societies, Navigating Political Upheaval, Political Theology, Human Flourishing, Response to Brokenness, Political Turmoil, Threats to Compassion

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