What's it about?
The author's former career was as a parliamentary researcher. He is
now a journalist and tutor in politics and theology. Using illustrations
from his time in parliament, he challenges all Christians to move beyond their
individual 'agendas' and discover the political dimension of their faith.
What did you like about it?
I liked the challenge presented by his innovative reinterpretations of the
Bible and their application to contemporary issues. He offers creative and practical
suggestions as to how to both engage with, and challenge the contemporary political
structures. Yet his emphasis remains always on demonstrating kingdom values.
His insistence on standing for Biblical truth was inspiring.
What didn't you like about it?
I didn't find anything to dislike.
What will you still remember a year from now?
The encouragement I gained from realizing that questioning and challenging
can be a means of growth.
Who would you recommend this book to?
To anyone who is interested in applying the gospel message beyond the
personal.
Can you give us a couple of good quotes from the book?
'There is a saying: "Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom…and what appeared
was the church." For some people this is a positive statement. For others
it is an entirely negative one.'
'We may claim that our faith works...but the fact is that our evangel, the
good news of the gospel, does not always do so in the way that policy makers
or politicians expect or would want. Our faith is a faith of justice, of peacemaking
and of equity, but it is also a faith of confrontation, of challenge and of
change. God has a subversive manifesto that challenges the old order and brings
in a new one. It is not something that will automatically endear us to the surrounding
world, but that, nevertheless, is God's political agenda.'
review by Jane Sigrist
