James: A Pastoral and Contextual Commentary

Criminals in Hong Kong and China are often superstitiously religious. Ironically, both they and police officers worship the same folk god, Guan Gong, who represents righteousness! But their religiosity has no moral consequences – what both groups are seeking is protection from their opponents.

Unfortunately, some Asian Christians have a similar model of religiosity. They want God’s protection and blessings, but they do not want God to affect how they live. James will have none of this. He is...