Book Description

Radical Gospel dusts off academic theology and brings it to new life in this re-telling of the ministry of Jesus. This book is called Radical Gospel because it is rooted in the imagination, insight, and inspiration of many people - especially a rural Galilean and his ragtag group of disciples. It's also called Radical Gospel because it testifies to the revolutionary implications of the message and ministry of Jesus. There is radically Good News to be shared - and it's just as relevant today as it ever has been! Feminist theologians have challenged the idea of valorizing the suffering and death of Jesus. Too often the idea of "bearing one's cross" in imitation of Jesus has resulted in the spiritualization of suffering and self-negation. For people who are survivors of abuse, the idea of cross-bearing has been bad news. So, this book seeks to re-tell the story of Jesus in a way that challenges and counters the idea of the glorification of suffering. After all, the Good News of Jesus Christ is meant to lead to "abundant life" (John 10:10) and "complete joy" (John 15:11).Feminist theologians have also pointed out that the Gospels were written in a context of patriarchy, which privileged the experiences of men. In fact, men tend to be the heroes and leaders in most Biblical stories, while women tend to play depreciative roles such as seductress, prostitute, and deceiver. Yet despite this, many scholars believe that Jesus himself had a much more egalitarian ministry. This book attempts to explore how the Gospels may have been written if the perspectives and experiences of female disciples were given more of a voice. Historical-critical Bible scholars help modern readers of the New Testament to understand the language of the Gospels (i.e. Greek) and the context out of which they were written (i.e. Roman Orient between 70-150 AD). Since the Gospels are a collection of testimonies that describe what Jesus meant to people, it's important to understand those testimonies from within the culture and context they were written. As an example, the Gospels often describe the "basileia tou theou," which in English translates into "Empire of God." The phrase "Empire of God" is important to reclaim because it encapsulates the radical message that the writers of the Gospels originally intended. For them, the Empire of God was the much needed alternative to the Empire of Rome. Part of their message is that Jesus brought people into a whole new Empire - a new way of life. Postmodern theologians have argued that all theology is written from particular perspectives. Everyone's theology represents personal ideas and "truths." Nobody's theology represents "The Truth" for all times, places, and peoples. God is far too complex and enigmatic for us to understand and explain in our limited language. As Apostle Paul writes, "we see through a glass, dimly" and "know only in part" (I Corinthians 13:12). So all language used to describe God is metaphorical and testimonial - not objective reality. Therefore, this book is written from a passionate perspective that seeks to witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Openness and Process theologians remind us that God is continually active and speaking in our daily lives. God didn't just act once upon a time in a land far away. Instead, God's abiding presence is with us throughout our daily lives. In God, we "live, move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). So, just as God inspired the writing of the Bible, God also inspires our interpretation of those texts. This book is an interpretation and a re-imagining of the Gospels.Part 1: The Beginning (Which is a Continuation) Part 2: The Ministry of Jesus (Which is a Group Effort) Part 3: The Crucifixion of Jesus (Which Doesn't Stop His Ministry)Part 4: The Ending (Which is a New Beginning)