About Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World
Via Amazon
Christians are constantly being accused of being too political or not political enough.
Often, the accusations are fair. Christians tend to get stuck in one of two political ditches: we either privatize our faith or make it partisan. We think religion and politics should be separate and never intermingle, or we align so tightly with a political party that we conflate the gospel with a human agenda.
In Political Gospel, Patrick Schreiner argues Christianity not only has political implications but is itself a politic. The gospel at its very core is political––Jesus declared Himself to be King. But He does not allow you to put Him in your political box.
In a supercharged political climate, Political Gospel explores what it means for Christians to have a biblical public witness by looking to Scripture, the early church, and today. Should we submit to governing authorities or subvert them? Are we to view them as agents of the dark forces or entities that promote order? In these pages, we’ll see that Christians live in a paradox, and we’ll see how to follow Christ our King right into the political craziness of our day.
Release Date: October 18, 2022
Publisher: B&H Books
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| J.T. English, lead pastor of Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, Colorado, and author of Deep Discipleship “We are living through a pressurized moment of partisanship and institutional breakdown. How are Christians supposed to respond? Engage or retreat, fight or flee? In Political Gospel, Patrick Schreiner gives us a way forward by offering a distinctly Christian vision of political engagement.” | Dr. Derwin L. Gray, Co-founder & Lead Pastor at Transformation Church and author of the bestselling book How To Heal Our Racial Divide “Dr. Schreiner has written an immensely important book on political discipleship. Like a skilled surgeon, scalpel in hand, he cuts through the idolatry of political partisanship, and situates us in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God trumps our tribalistic progressive and conservative politics. This book is a much-needed course correction for the Church. Read it. Share it. Repeat.” | Russell Moore, Editor-in-Chief at Christianity Today “This book prompts Christians to think about politics not from a party platform or a social media feed, but from the Bible. That’s a needed help in a time in which politics has become a god.” |
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| Hannah Anderson, author of All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment “Political Gospel tackles two topics that we’ve all been told not to talk about: politics and religion. Courageous in its own right, the work shines with author Patrick Schriener’s scholarship and knowledge of the political world of the New Testament, which he deftly interprets and applies to our current moment. Political without being partisan, this book offers readers a model for how the gospel message could turn our world upside down and thus, finally make it right.” | Drew Dyck, editor, speaker, and author of several books, including Your Future Self Will Thank You “Patrick Schreiner, a top New Testament scholar, brings readers back to the Bible, reminding us that while Christianity is inherently political, it is never partisan and, that while we are commanded to submit to the governing authorities, our highest allegiance is to Christ.” | Joel Muddamalle, Director of Theology and Research for Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries “If we had to list a top five for divisive issues Christians deal with, politics has a permanent spot on the list. Often, for followers of Jesus the issue of politics leads quickly to policies or positions. Patrick Schreiner slows us all down and reminds us that we have to work up from the foundations of political theology rather than down from political issues. He does this by reminding us that the Gospel itself is inherently political. As I read Patrick’s book I found myself thinking, ‘This isn’t a book to be read someday, it’s the very book we need today.” |
My Review
I will admit: I entered this book a bit trepidatiously. How is this going to go? I wondered.
Thankfully: It went well, lol.
Schreiner writes engagingly, convictingly (sometimes more than I want, but that just indicates opportunities for growth, right?), and unflinchingly. The read is a necessary one, especially now … and I think readers across the political spectrum will find something of value here. My hope is that the book is read, it points the reader back to the True Source (God and his Word), and dialogue happens–not just with those who think or look like us, but with those who don’t.
I appreciated Schreiber’s setting many events in Jesus’s life in their right context, as well as showing how they were political (to varying degrees). That was really insightful, and I learned a lot about historical politics as well as how to apply my faith in present day (and everything that goes with that).
A thought-provoking and timely read. 4/5 stars.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Via Amazon
Patrick Schreiner (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross; Matthew: Disciple and Scribe; The Ascension of Christ; The Visual Word; and The Mission of the Triune God. He lives with his wife and four kids in Kansas City, where they enjoy the Midwest. He is a big fan of the Minnesota Vikings and has been waiting his whole life for their first Super Bowl win.
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