Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies [B0855]

2024 - Should Christians be politically withdrawn, avoiding participation in politics to maintain their prophetic voice and keep from being used as political pawns? Or should Christians be actively involved, seeking to control and utilize political systems to control the levers of power? In Jesus and the Powers, N.T. Wright and Michael Bird argue that Christians should pursue active involvement in ways that encourage and sustain liberal democratic systems while opposing both totalitarianism and nationalism. They argue that Christians should faithfully and earnestly contribute to free democratic societies and vigorously oppose political schemes based on autocracy and nationalism. Wright and Bird outline a Christian approach to political engagement with reflections on their relevance to current events, including the Russian-Ukraine conflict, China-Taiwan tension, political turmoil in the USA, UK, and Australia, as well as to the problem of white Christian nationalism.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Speaks clearly to our day and time. Have you ever wondered how we got to this bizarre and dangerous place in time - culturally, spiritually, politically? This book is written from a slightly more European/Australian viewpoint than most Americans are familiar with (but I think stretching one's viewpoint horizon is a good thing!) But for all of us, no matter where we live, this book addresses both the strengths and weaknesses of Western culture and politics, and how they interplay with church and faith - sometimes for good, but too often for cruelty and power-seeking. The authors' viewpoint is solidly Biblical without favoring either right or left. A VERY helpful book!"; "Great book. It's got great arguments that are presented in a very clear and understandable way. The language is not to academic but is very accessible."