N.T. Wright, a theologian whose work I always anticipate with excitement, has once again delivered a thought-provoking read with “Jesus and the Powers,” co-authored with Michael F. Bird. As with many of Wright’s books, this one challenges perspectives and offers fresh insights that leave me thinking. This time, Wright addresses the relationship between Christianity and political power. However, as is frequently the case with Wright’s work, this might have been just as effectively conveyed in a long-form article rather than a full book.
Wright and Bird take readers on a historical journey, exploring how Christians have engaged with political powers throughout the ages. From Jesus’s execution under Roman rule to early Christian resistance, through Constantine’s co-opting of Christianity for political gain (and the growth of the Church that followed), and into the modern interplay between Christianity and liberal and conservative ideologies, the authors paint a comprehensive picture. They argue that the Church’s foundation lies in resisting worldly powers, sometimes from outside the government and sometimes from within.
A key takeaway is Wright’s reminder that Jesus has already conquered the powers of evil in our world - our role isn’t to assist in this victory or forcibly establish God’s kingdom on earth. Instead, our calling as Christians is to “build for the kingdom,” a subtle but crucial distinction from “building the kingdom” itself, which remains the sole prerogative of the Creator. I believe Wright is correct in calling out modern Christians for forgetting this critical distinction. Wright emphasizes that loving our neighbor extends beyond mere tolerance to actively advocating for those with whom we may disagree.
While “Jesus and the Powers” offers valuable insights, if you’re seeking a more practical guide to Christian engagement in politics, I’d recommend Josh Butler’s “The Party Crasher” as a first stop. That said, Butler and Wright seem to align on many fundamental points, making both works valuable contributions to this important discussion.
Call [Christians] to seek to build something that carries over into the new creation.
- Page xiv
Do we regard the Church’s association with the empire as a marriage of providential convenience or an act of spiritual adultery? Did Christ defeat Caesar or did we merely turn Christ into Caesar?
- Page 34
Genesis 3 could serve as an allegory for (among many other things!) the notorious corruption of power. Given authority over God’s world, the humans tried to use it for their own advantage.
- Page 46
The biblical warnings assume that hell already exists for many people here on earth, and that it is the Church’s task both to analyse and denounce the idolatries that produce it and to model the way of life that, through the spirit, reflects instead the image of the true God revealed in Jesus.
- Page 67
If that is true, then, every act of love, gratitude and kindness; every work of art or music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of his creation; every minute spent teaching a severely disabled child to read or to walk; every act of care for a dying patient; every deed of comfort and support for refugees; everything done for one’s fellow human beings; everything to preserve and beautify the created order; all spirit-led teaching, every deed that spreads the gospel, builds up the Church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, every prayer for the heart’s longings, and the worship that makes the name of Jesus honoured in the world - all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation that God will one day make. That is the logic of the mission of God. God’s recreation of his wonderful world, which has begun with the resurrection of Jesus, continues mysteriously as God’s people live in the risen Christ and in the power of his spirit. This means that what we do in Christ and by the spirit in the present is not wasted, not abandoned, not discarded. Our holy labours will last long, all the way into God’s new world. In fact, they will even be enhanced there.
- Page 86
When the people of the new creation behold its wonder and beauty, it should strike them with an acute sense of deja vu.
- Page 88
The peculiar thing is that the Western ‘culture wars’ between progressives and conservatives are really in-house debates in a post-Christendom context about Christian ideas. That is precisely why many Christians don’t map neatly onto the conservative versus progressive political dichotomy! Whether we are debating environmental care, a colonial legacy, women’s autonomy over their own bodies, police brutality against people of colour, or rights for sexual minorities, these are concerns that emerge from a specifically Christian world view.
- Page 142
Many of my thoughts about this subject have been formed by the teachings of Josh Butler, Jim Mullins, and others at Redemption Tempe Church. I appreciated the way N.T. Wright outlined the history of Christian engagement in politics and many of the things I noted above were learnings I had about church history. That being said, I didn’t feel like this book changed my worldview significantly because of the solid foundation of teaching I’ve been subject to.
Last updated: 2024-08-19