Book dossier

The Political Teachings of Jesus

by Tod Lindberg

Since the beginning of the Christian era, people have used the words and ideas of Jesus to justify all manner of political action. Despite these repeated attempts, few have been able to move past the rhetoric and understand the true nature of Jesus's political views.Now, in The Political Teachings of Jesus, longtime political analyst and commentator Tod Lindberg goes beyond political punditry to address how Jesus's words and teachings—once a radical set of ideas—have come to define our concept of government and our vision for society. With nuanced prose, Lindberg draws a crucial distinction between Christ's religious and political teachings, presenting a detailed discussion of the world transformation that Jesus sought through his words, stories, and sayings.Guiding readers through the social and political dialogue of the Gospels, Lindberg expertly analyzes how Jesus's principles of universal freedom and equality have combined in our social order to become the unacknowledged bedrock of the modern world. In addition, he offers a provocative look at the role that Jesus's words have played in the formation of the modern democratic ideal, demonstrating how the basic principles of both liberal and conservative thought find common roots in the Christian messiah's words.Through close reading of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus's parables, Lindberg offers a sophisticated portrait of Jesus as a teacher of unique insight and perception, one whose political views have transcended time and become essential to the way everyone lives in our society. In an era when people on both sides of the aisle are prone to using Jesus's beliefs for their own ends, The Political Teachings of Jesus is a refreshingly clear-eyed take on our shared concepts of government and society—and their common roots between the covers of the New Testament.