In the Midst of the City, the Gospel and God’s Politics
By Barkley Thompson
“As Christians, we must not begin with our secular political beliefs and then use the Gospel to prop them up. Rather, we must begin with the Gospel and let it shape our politics.”—Barkley Thompson, In the Midst of the City, the Gospel and God’s Politics.
I was once in three book groups, all reading Barkley Thompson’s second book, In the Midst of the City.
The book’s first section is a collection of sermons he wrote while serving as dean of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Houston.
Barkley reminds us of Marcus Borg’s story about the two processions in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, entering from opposite gates. Pilate enters as the representative of the Roman power of war, while Jesus enters, symbolizing God’s politics, the power of peace. “For Christians, leaving God’s politics out of the church is not an option. The Gospel, however, is not partisan, and God is neither conservative nor progressive.”
Barkley constantly reminds us of Karl Barth’s mandate to read both the Bible and the newspaper. Interpret the newspaper by the Bible, never the other way around. For example, in the wake of the great tragedy of the killings and wounding at the Boston Marathon, the Gospel leads Barkley to remind us to look for the helpers, those who reach out to the harmed.
The second section addresses what it means to be a Christian and an American in light of the Gospel. Patriotism differs from nationalism. The patriot gives his heart to the best that patriotism represents, even in the face of fear and assault by those who have lost an understanding of liberty.
The third section comprises essays published on his blog in the Houston Chronicle. They reflect his personal discernment process as he seeks to see God’s vision for the world. The chapter titles speak for themselves: “I Own Guns, and I Believe in Gun Control,” “Of Orlando and the Virtue of Embrace,” and “On Civil War Monuments.”
Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/