Pursuing the Shalom of the Kingdom of God
Jesse P. Nickel (PhD, University of St Andrews) is on the faculty of Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, where he teaches in the biblical studies program. His research and writing focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus, the Synoptic Gospels, the world of first-century Judaism, and the place of nonviolence and peacemaking in Christian discipleship. In his teaching, speaking, and writing, Jesse hopes to contribute to the continued breaking-in of the already/not-yet, shalom-centred Kingdom of God.
A Revolutionary Jesus
Violence and Peacemaking in the Kingdom of God
In the time of Jesus, many believed that God's long-awaited deliverance was contingent on his people's taking up the sword against their oppressors, thus demonstrating their zealous allegiance to the covenant. In contrast, Jesus articulated and enacted a vision for God's reign in which violence was completely disassociated both from the means of the kingdom's inauguration and from the character of those who belonged to it. This was a kingdom defined by peace, whose people would be identified by peacemaking, exemplified by its Lord, whose victory was accomplished in giving his own life.
Praise for A Revolutionary Jesus
“If you’re going to commend the path of nonviolence, it’s good to model what you’re saying by deploying nothing but careful, patient reasoning. Jesse Nickel offers exactly that in this groundbreaking study, blending seasoned scholarship and well-crafted argument to build up a case that might yet make pacifists of us all. The church—and the world right now!—urgently needs this message.”
—N. T. Wright
“The way of violence and the way of peace— they are incompatible. Peace doesn't come through strength, and violence doesn't give rise to peace or the kingdom. Both Rome and the Rome-infested political powers of Judea in the first century were too bent on violence, and neither led to a lasting peace. Jesus was a consistent and thorough advocate of peace. Jesse Nickel's A Revolutionary Jesus both updates a minority strand of Jesus and Christian scholarship and also extends Jesus studies by a more careful discussion of the problem of violence. I really like this book, and hope many will.”
—Scot McKnight
“Jesse Nickel gives a clear and convincing argument that the gospels present Jesus as a peacemaker. Not only this, but Nickel also connects Jesus's anti-violence posture to that of the Christian. The result is an exegetically based challenge for the church to put peace at the center of Christian identity and practice. This study has a rare combination of implications; it contributes to gospel scholarship while also offering practical implications for the church today.”
—Elizabeth E. Shively
“Though Jesus's teaching on nonviolence is downplayed if not completely ignored by large segments of the church today, A Revolutionary Jesus makes a compelling and comprehensive case for a commitment to nonviolence as lying at the very heart of Jesus's teachings and example. For this reason, this commitment lies at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I recommend this work for pacifists and non-pacifists alike.”
—Gregory A. Boyd
“With careful attention to Scripture and historical context, Jesse Nickel offers a thorough account of the Jesus whose life, witness, and teaching are peace. As the church grows increasingly comfortable with violence, Nickel turns us back to the center of our faith-the redemption of all things.”
—Melissa Florer-Bixler
Contact
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