The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church |...

The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church | Gregory A. Boyd | The Way Ahead - Begin Today

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The Myth of a Chri...

	The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church Gregory A. Boyd Zondervan, 2007 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 69 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great book for Christians struggling with the politicizing of the faith we see today

This is the second book from Boyd that I'd read and was very glad I did. For years this merging of faith and politics has been gnawing at my Christianity. I knew there was something wrong with this trend (right-wing zealots tainting the pure message of Jesus' sacrifice and grace), but I couldn't put it into words or a solid argument.

Boyd makes a powerful and prophetic argument that's well writen and clear.

The Way Ahead - Begin Today

Dr. Gregory Boyd tackles an incredibly emotional yet very important issue in this book. His treatment of this subject is unequivocally ther BEST I have ever read...pragmatic, Biblically sound and challenging.

A quote from page 143 captures the essence of the book: "Jesus never allowed Himself to be defined by the political conflicts of His day, and neither should we. The distinctly kingdom question is not, How should we vote? The distinctly kingdom question is, How should we live?"

From the life of Jesus, the history of the Christian faith, and the reality of the present, Dr. Boyd makes a solid argument for dispensing with the "we and they" syndrome that the allure of political power has created for the Christian community today.

Frankly, the book illustrates the fact that man's quest for political power in the name of God, always ends up in the same place --- man's attempts to represent God by the exercise of political power creates unintended, negative consequences (to say the least).

Listen and prayerfully consider what Dr. Boyd is talking about here. I believe it to be both a timely and richly rewarding work. I pray we act upon what he is so clearly laying out...there's a better way...a way ahead modeled by Jesus Christ.

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Well-written and Thought-provoking

A lot of us have been missing the mark on who we're called to be as believers. This is a must-read for every Christian.

Please read this book

A must read for all who have reeived Christ as savior

Caesar or Jesus?

Boyd may just be the kindest prophetic voice I have ever heard. I believe Boyd offers a superb presentation of the Kingdom of God and its demands for the Christian. Christianity in America has been hijacked by religious zealots who have given in to the temptation Christ rejected: political power and worldly kingdom rule! Boyd's book will cause the reader to rethink their understanding of the Kingdom of God and what it means to be "aliens" and "strangers." Those who proclaim "God and Country" have misunderstood the universal call of Christ to gather believers into one holy nation the church. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world! His agenda is accomplished by love and servant leadership that does not rule over like the Gentiles.

I do think that Boyd clouds the message when he states, specifically in his Q/A time at his church, that he is thankful for those who have died to give him worldly freedom. He is inconsistent at this point. It is easy to confuse his hearers with statements like this. What I found most disturbing was the great applause that was given after he expressed this view. His audience seemed to be more excited by that than anything else he had said before. Be thankful for God's sovereign hand over all the earth... BUT leave the glorification of worldly kingdoms and partisan politics out of it! Those who call the church to discover their true identity better make sure they don't confuse an already Constantinian Christianity with authentic N.T. discipleship.

Still... I believe Boyd is right on with his assessment of the "Christian nation myth". From a N.T. perspective... anyone who would disagree with his plain exposition of Scripture... pridefully displays their idolatry and commitment to Caesar over Jesus. Boyd is one voice among many who are presently crying out to the church, "You are drunk on the wine of her adulteries! Come out before you are destroyed with her!"

There is simply no way a Christian can join up with the kingdoms of the world and serve Christ's Kingdom too! You cannot love your enemies and kill them. You cannot call Jesus Lord and give Caesar your allegiance. What does it mean to be in the world but not of it? I have concluded that we must obey Christ's commands. He has given us Kingdom principles to live by. Once we have broken those principles for love of the world... we cease to simply be in the world... and we then become of it. At this point we do not reveal to the world anything of radical truth or light from the Kingdom of heaven. When we violate Kingdom principles we no longer take the words of Jesus seriously. We must then compartmentalize our faith and explain away why we will not live exactly the way Jesus told us we ought to live. (1 Jn.2:6)

It's not an issue of pacifism... that's still being political. That's using love and peace in order to manipulate and get one's way. (As Mr. Walter Wink and many others believe) I'm talking about resisting in love that makes no sense to the world around us and is purely motivated by love of Christ and man. The only repsonse of the evil doer will then be to hate (as they did our Lord) or be regenerated into the man that is dead to the world and to his flesh... yet alive to Christ and a slave to righteousness. Until a person completely surrenders their life to the way of the cross... freedom will forever be elusive.
Long live the King!

I would like to recommend: "Do Followers of Jesus Fight?: A Bible Inquiry" by Edward Yoder with Jesse W. Hoover and Harold S. Bender/ Benchmark Press. (This book is Q/A with Jesus' words, O.T. commands, and all other questions that might arise when one seeks out radical discipleship.)

Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World by Lee C. Camp (Camp lets it all go in this book. You will not be left to wonder what it means to follow in the footsteps of Christ.)

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