Wayward Christian Soldiers
Wayward Christian Soldiers: Freeing the Gospel from Political Captivity Charles Marsh,
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 019537603X
DDC: 322
Edition: Paperback; 2008-10-27
Summary:
In Wayward Christian Soldiers, leading evangelical theologian Charles
Marsh offers a powerful indictment of the political activism of
evangelical Christian leaders and churches in the United States. With
emphasis on repentance and renewal, this important work advises
Christians how to understand past mistakes and to avoid making them
in the future. Over the past several years, Marsh observes, American
evangelicals have achieved more political power than at any time in
their history. But access and influence have come at a cost to their
witness in the world and the integrity of their message. The author
offers a sobering contrast between the contemporary evangelical
elite, which forms the core of the Republican Party, and the historic
Christian tradition of respect for the mystery of God and
appreciation for human fallibility. The author shows that the most
prominent voices in American evangelicalism have arrogantly redefined
Christianity on the basis of partisan politics rather than scripture
and tradition. The role of politics in distorting the Christian
message can be seen most dramatically in the invasion of Iraq, he
argues: Some 87% of American evangelicals supported going to war,
while every single evangelical church outside the United States
opposed it. The Jesus who storms into Baghdad behind the wheel of a
Humvee, Marsh points out, is not the Jesus of the Gospel. Indeed, not
since the nazification of the German church under Hitler has the
political misuse of Christianity led to such catastrophic global
consequences. Is there an alternative? This book proposes that the
renewal of American churches requires a season of concentrated
attention to faith's essential affirmations--a time of hospitality,
peacemaking, and contemplative prayer. Offering an authentic
Christian alternative to the narcissistic piety of popular
evangelicalism, Wayward Christian Soldiers represents a unique entry
into the increasingly pivotal debate over the role of faith in
American politics. "With Wayward Christian Soldiers, Charles Marsh
again shows that he is one of the most astute observers of
evangelicalism today." --Jim Wallis, author of God's Politics
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