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A Conspiracy of Love
Before there were worshippers of Jesus, there were followers of Jesus. Before there were organized churches with creeds and doctrines, there were small communities of love, equality, and sharing dedicated to the practice of Jesus' teachings and committed to a wholly new way of living. Today, the churches of the Global North are in decline and younger generations no longer seek meaning there. Traditional "church Christianity" is gradually giving way to some new way of faithful living. From a Nazi prison cell, German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer imagined a future "religionless Christianity" consisting of contemplative prayer and righteous action in the secular world. A Conspiracy of Love presents the contours of such a faith based on the "way" of Jesus. It calls us to become troublemakers, revolutionaries, seekers of change, and agents of transformation engaged in conspiracies of love to establish justice and peace in a postmodern world. It offers many different people--those who remain in the church, those who have left, and those who have never ventured near--with a life of faith that is meaningful, intelligent, and passionate.
An Unorthodox Faith
The time is ripe for a new Christian reformation--a profound transformation of theological substance, not just liturgical style. Jesus never intended to create a new religion of rites, creeds, and dogma that offered an eternal reward in heaven. Instead he announced the subversive arrival of the kingdom of God--a social and economic revolution of the heart based on a lifestyle of radical love, lavish generosity, extravagant forgiveness, inclusive hospitality, compassionate action, selfless service, a passion for justice, creative nonviolence, and simple living. He invited his followers to transform their lives and change the world. A postmodern Christianity will call people to engage in the Jesus revolution--a conspiracy of love that rises up against the unjust systems of the world through everyday acts of kindness, compassion, and resistance. An Unorthodox Faith provides a framework for a faithful life based on the Way of Jesus--a way of living authentically and humanely for the sake of others. It offers countless people--those who remain in the church, those who have left, and those who have never ventured near--with a life of faith that is meaningful, intelligent, and passionate.
People of the Way
In first-century Palestine, the countercultural Jesus movement defied the social norms of the Roman Empire by creating alternative communities of shared life and goods in service to the poor. Jesus proclaimed an unconventional society that challenged systems of male domination, social inequality, economic disparity, and violence. This way of life defined Christianity for three hundred years until the emperor Constantine invited the church to help rule an empire, and its countercultural lifestyle was replaced by a dogmatic belief system. In the postmodern secular world of the Global North, the shrinking church has lost its prophetic voice and has proven ineffectual in the face of evil and injustice. This book is a call to return to the countercultural Way of Jesus. It proposes a way forward through the creation of new communities of resistance—small cells of cultural nonconformity that conspire for justice and strive for peace in the world.
Justice at the Margins
Jesus was a teacher. One of the key tools of his teaching was storytelling. Through vivid parables of mustard seeds, leaven, wayward children, poor widows, rich men, and day laborers, Jesus helps us imagine the kingdom of God. The parables of Jesus were well-conceived and artfully structured traps. They invite the listener into a simple story or comparison. They get the listener comfortable with the familiar territory of the scene. Then the parable switches everything around and frustrates the expectations of the listener. The parables of Jesus were intended to show his listeners that the way the kingdom of God operates is not what we expect. They challenge comfortable beliefs and convention...
Abundant Lives
What is the purpose of freedom, of rights, of justice, if those concepts are debated but do not tangibly contribute to human flourishing? Abundant Lives: A Progressive Christian Ethic of Flourishing invites sociologically informed engagement in human well-being, based on Jesus’ command to love God, our neighbors, ourselves, and our enemies. Author Amanda Udis-Kessler, PhD, provokes rich conversations so we might understand – and enact – the Kindom of God as a realm of human and planetary flourishing. A former sociology professor, Amanda Udis-Kessler (PhD, Boston College; certificate, Iliff School of Theology) is an author of academic and liturgical writings and composer of progressive sacred music.
Justice for All
Would you like to live a more meaningful life? Perhaps you want to speak out against injustice or make a change in your own life but lack the courage to do so. Justice for All recounts the inspirational achievements of twelve of history’s greats, all of whom overcame personal challenges and gave their lives to fighting the injustices of their times. People like William Wilberforce, who helped abolish slavery in Britain; Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian leader who was shy about public speaking but became one of the most influential leaders of modern times; and Mother Teresa, who saw Christ’s suffering in the poor she ministered to. Author Marja Bergen encourages the reader to identify what helped these leaders do what they did and to foster similar qualities in themselves, along with confidence in a God who tells them that they are of value to their community and their world. With a focus on modern Christians, Justice for All is for readers looking to make changes both in their lives and society. We can all learn from these outstanding individuals who shaped our world, from two thousand years ago to the present day.
The River Beyond the Dam
A modern, ex-Christian, tree-hugging American woman comes up against a strange wish for church—but only if it could be radically different from what she’s known. It would have to be one steeped in women’s equality and freedom of thought. Unexpectedly, she finds herself on a journey like a canoe trip. The journey will heal her past, widen her present world, and offer hope for the future. Guided by her experiences in river canoeing—navigating the river, learning its currents, and riding its sparkling energy—her story unfolds through twelve years of pointed questions, congenial fellow travelers, and zesty discoveries. She experiences firsthand what she cannot get from a solo journey, including what it is to support Native Americans, and how Black womanist theology can make her a better white ally of Black women. Paddling the river, she is helped around fallen trees of biblical mistranslation and anti-woman dogma. After a cold-water crash, she repairs her canoe and emerges joyful again with a new, more flexible strength. Looking ahead, she follows clues about how the river is changing other churches—renewing and making them better neighbors and climate activists.
Biblical Discipleship: Essential Components for Attaining Spiritual Maturity
Today, we have many ways of defining success in life. Some define it as being a sports hero, others as being wealthy, others as being popular and well liked, and still others as being happy. How does God define success? He defines it as being spiritually mature! How do we become spiritually mature? There’s only one way, and it’s called discipleship. However, statistics show that discipleship is in a state of crisis today. Many Christians are not growing in Christ and are stuck in the process of reaching spiritual maturity. A Barna study reveals that almost nine out of ten senior pastors of Protestant churches assert that spiritual immaturity is one of the most serious issues facing the c...
New Testament Healing
In our world of advanced western medicine, complementary or alternate therapies, twelve-step groups, and self-help programs, many people have sought to maintain or improve their health in this life Have you considered another possibility- Christian healing ministry according to the patterns found in the New Testament? If you read the Gospel according to Mark, about 32 % of this wonderful narrative up to Jesus' final week upon earth, is about healing and miracles! Jesus and his first disciples were quite successful. How did they heal the sick? Would a contemporary expression of this ministry be of interest to you? As the good news about Jesus is preached and ordinary Christians pray and minis...
Justice at the Margins
Jesus was a teacher. One of the key tools of his teaching was storytelling. Through vivid parables of mustard seeds, leaven, wayward children, poor widows, rich men, and day laborers, Jesus helps us imagine the kingdom of God. The parables of Jesus were well-conceived and artfully structured traps. They invite the listener into a simple story or comparison. They get the listener comfortable with the familiar territory of the scene. Then the parable switches everything around and frustrates the expectations of the listener. The parables of Jesus were intended to show his listeners that the way the kingdom of God operates is not what we expect. They challenge comfortable beliefs and convention...
