A Political Reading of the Life of Jesus

For over 2000 years, Christendom has made the life and teachings of Jesus irrelevant in the realm of politics. In challenging the oppressive systems of his day, Jesus offered a compelling model for political action. His life is an example of the proper integration of politics and religion.The recognition that Jesus was the leader of a political insurrection is examined in relation to Christology, the doctrine of the Trinity, theories of atonement, love of neighbor, and the role of the Christian church.There are two powerful themes in the Christian Bible: the Biblical theme of Salvation is the one the Church has always lifted up because it does not represent any threat to the Powers and domination systems; and the Biblical theme of Liberation is not generally promoted because it represents a genuine challenge to the Powers.By reflecting upon these two powerful Biblical themes, the reader will recognize the social/political dimensions of his or her life while gaining a greater level of personal integrity.Brief dialogues, called Credo to Credo, are presented with persons who represent various facets of our culture.…