Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World

by Patrick Schreiner

Overview

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Top Shelf Book Cover Awards for Design Excellence, Non-fiction category, Winner

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781087755205
Publisher:	B&H Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/18/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

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. 
 

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction: Political Gospel 1

Part 1 Political Past

Chapter 1 The Way of the Kingdom 21

Chapter 2 The Way of the Dove 41

Chapter 3 Reimagining Politics with Jesus 59

Part 2 Political Present

Chapter 4 The Way of Subversion 81

Chapter 5 The Way of Submission 99

Chapter 6 Reimagining Politics with the Church 123

Part 3 Political Future

Chapter 7 The Way of the Lion 149

Chapter 8 The Way of the Lamb 165

Chapter 9 Awaiting the King 181

Conclusion: The City of Man and the City of God 197

Acknowledgments and Soundtrack 211

Editorial Reviews

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.” 

— Dr. Derwin L. Gray, Co-founder & Lead Pastor, Transformation Church and author of the bestselling book How To Heal Our Racial Divide: What the Bible Says, and The First Christians Knew, about Racial Reconciliation 

 

“If you spend much time on social media, a local store, or a local church, you can be confident the topic of politics will emerge. 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.” 

—J.T. English, lead pastor of Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, Colorado, and author of Deep Discipleship: How the Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus  

 

“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.” 

— Russell Moore, Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today 

 

“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.’ 

If you’ve ever found yourself unsure, confused, skeptical, or just simply ‘over it’ when it comes to Christianity and Politics, this book will meet you where you are and will equip you to think with theological clarity so you can navigate the complexity of our political world all while keeping your public witness intact.” 

— Joel Muddamalle, Director of Theology and Research for Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries 

 

“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.” 

— Hannah Anderson, author of All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment

“Politics has always been a contentious topic. But in the last few years the acrimony has reached dangerous new levels. And not just in the public square. I’ve lost count of the stories I’ve heard of churches torn apart by fights over politics. That’s why I’m so grateful for Political Gospel. 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. He provides Christians with a solid theological basis for faithful political engagement that will enable us to maintain our convictions while seeking the good of our neighbors, all while helping us avoid the destructive blunders that have plagued believers in the past. I can’t imagine a more needed book on a more important subject.” 

— Drew Dyck is an editor, speaker, and author of several books, including, Your Future Self Will Thank You. 

From the Publisher