How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church

Gregory A. Boyd, speaks with refreshing honesty. A well rounded look at how politics can skew our thinking about our position as Christ followers in the kingdom of this world. It was truly thought and conscience provoking. A very brave book!

This book changed my life and my thinking. I think Boyd is wrong in some aspects of his theology, but I think he is sincerely wrong (meaning I don't think his error is caused by sin on his part), and in this book, I think he pretty much nails it.

As a product it certainly used but exceptable. As a book it definitely profound full of good points exellent rhetoric. Boyd however runs the risk of inconsistancy by still advocating taking part in the distinctly kingdom of the world practice of voting. And thereby pulling some of the punch from most of his points in this book. But overall a good starter for kingdom persuants.

This book provides what is, unfortunately, an uncommon perspective on what it means to be "In the world, but not of it". While encouraging participation in our country's political process the book urges believers to keep in check the weight given to "kingdom of the World" problems, choices, and topics and remember that ultimately our focus should be centered on the "Kingdom of Heaven".

Finally, a Christian pastor and Biblical scholar that manages to articulate all the frustration I have been carrying regarding my fellow Evangelicals.
We must reflect the love of Christ as manifest on Calvary, and reach out to those that society has turned aside.
Thank you Dr. Boyd for your insight!

I love this direct approach to reason. In the world today I'm uncertain if this approach to radical Jihadist would change them (burning coals) or it would empower them. It would, however be "the way of the cross"!

Amazing insite and well thought out. Greg Boyd thoroughly discusses why Christianity and nationalism are not compatible. I also appreciated that he very easily uses scripture to support his ideas in a very clear manner.

The true meaning of being a Christian, bibicaly based following the example of Jesus is presented in a compelling analysis. The myth of America as the new chosen people of God is examened from a scripture point of view.

This book helps the reader understand the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world better.

Boyd's Myth of a Christian Nation takes its thesis from these verses:

24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.
26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Luke 22:24-26

Boyd uses the terms Power-Over and Power-Under throughout this book. He equates "Lord it over" with "Power-Over" and then goes on to say that no Christian should ever engage in "Power-Over" authority (which he usually ties in with violent action). My major gripe with this book is I think Boyd is setting up a false dichotomy here in stating power-over=evil and Satanic whereas power-under=Good and Godly and here's why. In context, the disciples were talking about who would be greatest in the kingdom of God. Jesus was emphisizing that it's not accomplished the way they were trying to do it; like early kingdoms do it. It's not something you can lord over another to attain like you can in an earthly kingdom. That said, there definitely is a power-over leadership structure in heaven, it's just different in how that structure will be attained and as believers we will always submit to it. Jesus himself said the greatest on earth would be the least in heaven and the least on earth would be greatest in heaven. Anywhere there is opposition, there will be power-over. We will judge angels (what is there to judge if they're not resisting: power-over). Jesus will rule with an iron sceptre in the millenium period (definitely power-over), after which the devil will be set free to once again deceive and then those who follow with him will be cast into hell (power-over). Jesus exerted power-over authority when he whipped the money changers out of the temple and overturned their tables.

Also, the current earthly kingdom is not separated between believers and non-believers like it will be in heaven. So I don't think Jesus was necessarily saying that power-over is of the devil. To say that means that the theocracy established by God for Israel was evil (it was definitly power-over). Only that it's the way things have to be done. In heaven, everyone will willingly submit to the leadership structure and to God's will. Once the kingdom of God is finalized, there'll be no debate over who has authority and who is in the greater position of authority. We will not fight for our positions. The structure will be as God dictates it and there will be no evil opposition.

In contrast, on earth, we still deal with evil and sometimes evil has to be restrained through action; sometimes violent. If we say that Christians should never be in a power-over position, then we're saying Christians should never strive to enter politics, never try to establish just laws (the purpose of laws is to restrain the unwilling: power-over) become prosecutors/district attorneys, judges (who issue punishment for bad behavior by the unwilling: power-over), police officers (who sometimes have to use violence to subdue a violent offender: power-over), prison guards, or soldiers (who sometimes have to defend against evil overlords like Hitler), or become a software project manager (project leaders have to exert their will over unproductive employees and distribute punishment, aka fire, bad employees). One of the men who exhibited great faith, according to Jesus, was the Centurion (a power-over position) who recognized Jesus' authority to heal just by saying the words by pointing to his own authority over men (he tells them to do something and they do it). Jesus doesn't correct him that the authority of heaven is different from his authority as a centurion. He marvels at his faith.

The thesis verse is not really saying anything about violence or money or politics, just that authority in the Kingdom of God is not accomplished the way the world does it. Why would "lord it over" refer to all instances of violence, given that's not in context? The context of the verse is the apostles arguing about who deserves the highest authority. We can't just say, well, that's the way the world does it so all instances of violence must fall under that realm. Because if we do that, then all ways that the world uses to gain control of one over another must also apply in like manner, since that's the way the world does it.
Here are some absurd examples in which the logic is the same:
There are worldly investors who use money to lord it over; therefore, all use of money is evil.
There are worldly leaders who use the vote as evidence of a mandate as an excuse to lord it over, therefore all voting is evil.
There are those who impose legislation to control their citizens just because they want them controlled; therefore, imposing any legislation is evil.
There are those who use food supplies as a means of lording it over (restricting grain sales to punish the Soviet Union for invading Afghanistan in the 1980s); therefore, all uses of food supplies are evil.
Even if we assume that "lord it over" had violence in its focus, does that necessarily mean that all violence falls into the category of "lording it over" (e.g. defending a child, preventing mass murder, defending a nation against attack, defending one's family from harm) since the focus of these isn't really on "lording it over" another to establish authority so much as protecting people from unprovoked attack.

I also thought Boyd's characterization of why Jesus rejected Satan's offer to be wrong, again reading into the story his power-over/power-under theme, something which is not there. Jesus didn't reject it because He knew He couldn't usher in the Kingdom of God through earthly rule (there's no mention of that in any verse). He rejected it because the demand was to bow down and worship Satan in exchange for that right. Jesus' reply was "It is written, Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." There's no mention of the kingdoms in His rebuke. There was also the necessity of Christ's sacrifice on the cross as it was the only way to pay the penalty for the sin which seperates us from God.

I'm not saying the book so far has no value (if for nothing else, it forces one to think about what he's saying). He gives good examples of right Chrisitan action and his warnings against trying to "take America back for God" should be thoughtfully considered, given the history of the church. He also makes the valid point that no earthly kingdom will usher in the Kingdom of God.

However, he draws on the power-over/power-under theme extensively throughout the book; and given his poor interpretation, it colors his interpretation of the other verses as he seeks out verses which support his thesis.
Even substituting the words "power-over" for "lord it over", to me, focuses on the means of attaining authority rather than what I believe the true focus is, which is the heart of the seeker (the intent). The verse is not a focus on the means (violence) so much as the intent (an aggressive prideful attempt to be number one). A common example of the focus logic I'm referring to occurs in today's vernacular with guns. There are those that focus on the gun itself as the evil. The progun response is, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." There are those focusing on the means (the gun, or violence in Boyd's case) and call that the evil, whereas the true evil lies in the heart of the person doing the action (using the gun for criminal activity, or in this verses' context, attempting to dominate others).

Also, there's not much love in Boyd's book for right-wing evangelicals. If you're an evangelical believer who accepts "the Rapture" as part of your doctrine, as I do, know that Boyd thinks very little of us referring to us as escapists, "who are not interested in social justice, global peace, or the environment." It was odd to me that this was just thrown into the book. I think he has some deep-seated issues he needs to speak with God about.

Thank you Brother Gregory! Finally the Emperor's nakedness is exposed!

I was all fired up a few years ago to write a book that had a similar title. I have just finished reading it today, 5/23/2014. I basically was tired of hearing these mostly staunch right-wing political pundits....re-write history and ignore clear Holy Scripture.

Gregory....you nailed it! I feel vindicated that the Lord put out that fire....because you already wrote the book and said what my soul was wanting to respond back at the daily deaf and dumb- for profit- right wing- rage and fear-mongering - hypocrisy-media machine.

Let's all un-plug from the deception of the worldly idols of political ideology.....and the unnecessary grief, strife, and division
in the body of Christ that can stem from zealous adherents.
Let's not "Christianize" pagan greek democracy and worship the "free market" either..
Let us Christians understand Romans 12 and 13...and really live it.

Christ's words will last forever....this nation has mostly fallen for false idols.

Way to go Brother! Excellent read.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I agreed with Dr. Boyd all the way, until chapter 9, when it seemed that he began to go a bit off track. Had it not been for his "Tough Questions" chapter, I might have rated the book four stars, rather than three.

Dr. Boyd is correct. American Christians have blurred the concepts of the "Kingdom of the world" and the "Kingdom of God." It is also true that "foundationally" American Christians have carried the notion that our country is a Christian nation. Perhaps a better way to look at America is that it has been a "God-fearing" nation. Visit Europe, for example, and you will find nations devoid of God. Dr. Boyd would argue that that is precisely the point. He would say, American Christians have been lulled into thinking that our nation is Christ-like when it is far from it. While that may be partially true, I prefer to live in a country that preaches Christ (even under pretense, Phil.1:18), than in a country where Jesus Christ is dismissed completely. America is a Christian nation. It becomes evident when compared to Europe and other places in the world. The light shines in the darkness.

The author is also correct, morally speaking, in that many American Christians have made it their mission to be our "moral guardians" rather than the disciple makers Christ commanded us to be. We worry too much about prayer before football games than we do our own prayer life. Dr. Boyd is right to remind us that we must first "take the log out of our own eye."

Where Dr. Boyd gets off track is in his interpretation of Jesus' words "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." Here, Dr. Boyd claims that Jesus is saying we are never to draw the sword. This is simply incorrect. That fact is Jesus' disciples carried swords. In Luke 22:49, as Jesus was about to be arrested, his disciples asked, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" Evidently Peter is the only one who didn't wait for Jesus' answer. We hear Jesus' response in Matthew 26:52. He tells Peter to "Put your sword back in its place...For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." In essence Jesus was telling his disciples, "Don't draw your swords. You're outnumbered. If you draw your swords, you will surely die tonight." Jesus went on to say, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Jesus was telling his disciples, "Guys, listen, don't draw your swords. This is not the way Scripture is to be fulfilled, let me handle this!" Jesus' statement about drawing the sword was meant for the disciples, at that moment.

Had Jesus been completely against the sword, he would have had his disciples get rid of their swords long before that night. One would have to ask, "Why did the disciples carry swords?" Perhaps they used them to clean fish? Yet, all of the disciples were not fishermen. Maybe they were using them to cut wheat? Could they have carried swords to fend off wild beasts? If so, we don't read of many wild beasts in the New Testament. No, it is obvious for even the casual reader that they had swords for protection. Jesus was not a pacifist as Dr. Boyd wishes.

I got the feeling from reading the book that what is really behind Dr. Boyd's views is the ridiculous statement by Dr. Jerry Falwell -- "Blow [the terrorists] away in the name of the Lord." That statement is simply outlandish and should be considered an extremist view: Not the view of most evangelical Christians.

Dr. Boyd doesn't answer the question about Christians being involved in law enforcement. Are there to be no Christians on the police force? Is a policeman never to kill a murderer on the loose? What about Christians in the U.S. Coast Guard who get into a firefight with drug smugglers? Are Christians never to defend our country?

When Jesus spoke of loving our enemies, he was primarily speaking of those who persecute us because of his name. In fact, this is what most of the New Testament is talking about when we are told to love others. We are to love those who persecute us because of the name of Christ. We are to not strike back against those who hate us because of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not speaking about defending ourselves (or our country) in general. Perhaps that is why the disciples carried swords, to defend themselves against robbers or thieves? But, they were obviously not to use their swords when it came to defending Christ. We are never to use the sword in the name of Christ -- which is why Jerry Falwell is wrong. We are to use the sword against terrorists in order that we might be safe and protected, not in the name of the Lord.

The examples Boyd gives of Gandhi and King don't hold water with his argument about going to war. These were individuals, not governments. Certainly, individuals should always strive to uphold peace: "Kingdom under" people more than any others. Nevertheless, we live in an imperfect world and the bliss that Dr. Boyd is striving for will never be realized until the Millennium. Shindler rescued the Jews from certain death as an individual. He had no military means at his disposal. This argument is apples and oranges. It should be noted that Oskar Shindler broke the law. Dr. Boyd would say that is okay because what the Germans were doing was against God's higher law; therefore Shindler was exhibiting civil disobedience. But, didn't the Germans think they were also obeying God's laws? Didn't they think they were put on earth as the superior race? Dr. Boyd uses this type of argument throughout the book in regards to war. "What if the people we are fighting believe their cause is just?" Unfortunately, it is not that black and white. The Islamics think their war of terror is just -- but we know that it isn't. Therefore, in the case of "America" versus "Terrorists" America is correct in trying to stop them. The Islamic terrorists won't "Sit down and talk" to come up with a peaceful solution like Dr. Boyd claims.

This is still a good book worth reading. I agree with the fundamental principles he has laid down. Where we disagree is in the application of the principles.

Boyd makes a very important point in confronting an American church that has become far too cozy with the political institutions of the day, for this I applaud him. But it becomes clear very early on in the book that the author is working from within the context of so-called "open theism" and post-millenialism. The introduction and first chapter are sufficient to make the point that the title of the book proposes to advance. After that, Boyd tries to back up his thesis using his questionable theology. This is unfortunate as a conservative understanding of the scriptures can provide sufficient support to back up the same thesis. Overall, I respect the idea that the author is advancing and I recommend that every Christian think carefully about his challenging idea, but I cannot recommend this particular work on the subject as it is couched in Boyd's questionable theological framework.

Gregory Boyd's concept in the Myth of a Christian Nation obviously did well because it left me nodding in agreement heartily on some points, but scratching my head on others.
In essence, he argues and defends the point that the United States has never been and never will be a Christian Nation. Perhaps by culture, we are--but not in a truly transforming way. Still, for the most part, many Evangelicals equate America (more specifically Republicans) with Christianity.
He argues that the Church often operates from a "power over" mentality in which the U.S. Government rules over us like Church officials to regulate our morality. Boyd, on the other hand, suggests we operate from a "power under" mentality of washing feet, being a servant, and offering love.
In this aspect, I totally agreed with him. Often, when the Church gets power, it leads to monstrosities like the Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials.
Also, I agreed that American Christianity is often ten miles wide and a half inch deep. We would rather pray against abortion, join a picket line, or write our legislator about the issue than actually really do something about it. We often marginalize "tax collectors" and "sinners," then categorize our sins as not so bad compared to others like homosexuals.
According to Boyd, what is really important is serving others and bleeding with them. On this I found a whole-hearted agreement. This comes to ethics. This is relational which is what Christ calls us to. In my personal experience, I find myself closest to God when I'm serving others.
I also agreed on his poignancy in pointing out how truly shallow we are. It is truly amazing that many Christians were so upset over the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" as opposed to injustices that are far more egregious. In the same vein, many Evangelicals bemoan gay marriage while people in the Church have the highest divorce rate.
However, while Boyd chastises the Conservative Christian movement, he forgets the speck in his own eye. Yes, in a way, the Myth of a Christian Nation delivers the same judgment as something from the right (although Boyd is much more subtle).
I was a little put-off in his continual chastisement of Christianity when other religions certainly have their problems as well. Moreover, he overlooks the fact that the worst human rights atrocities occurred in secular states like Nazi Germany and Communist Russia and China.
For the most part, most Christians let their politics define their faith as opposed to letting their faith define their politics. The same is true for Boyd--and his colors definitely show.
He ignores a few facts that bothered me. In the first place, he ignores the separation of Church and State issues. While he mildly addressed this issue, he forgot that at one time, the Church did take care of the poor as opposed to government. Since the roles reversed during the Great Depression, those roles have conflicted heavily and have worsened the problem of the poor.
On another note, he fails to recognize the reconciliation and love the Church offers is not something governments ore kingdoms can implement. We might forget that the U.S. has served nations like Iraq, Afghanistan, and many African nations, only to see them come to resent us. They have not repaid loans, oppressed many people, and not used the money as they should, and still resent the U.S.
Yes, the Church should offer love, forgiveness, and restoration, but nations cannot do that. History has shown us that Neville Chamberlain tried appeasement to put Hitler at ease, but it did not work. Also, Hitler broke his pact with Stalin as well. Government is in the role of protecting its citizens and must do some things the Church should not be doing.
This leads to Boyd's pacifist role, hailing the likes of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., who both used passive non-resistance to change the British Empire and the U.S. However, I found two faults in his line of thinking. As pointed out by many other critics, those actions might have worked in societies with a conscience, it would not have worked in societies that had none. Gandhi did suggest Europe and the Jews surrender to the Nazi's, which would have allowed more genocide to continue. Such measures under Stalin would have also been disastrous.
My final critique is that Boyd is not a pragmatist who lives in the world. In his classic, Christ and Culture, Reinhold Neibuhr commented that sometimes in our fallen world, we must take the lesser of two evils. Sometimes, we cannot take the moral high ground he touts. For that to happen, both have to agree to adhere to that moral high ground and despots like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Saddam Hussein did not take that route.
Boyd is big on not judging others. While this is admirable, and I find myself on agreement with him, he (like so many other Christians) ignore the fact that Jesus also commanded us not to "cast our pearl before swine."
Don't get me wrong. I liked how Boyd debunked the idea of Christian America and how Christianity is confused with American Civil Religion that often results in Nationalism. His ideas for the true role of the Church are right on. However, his inability to recognize the lesser of two evils, and his lack of pragmatism are two errors that he needs to address more adequately.

Gregory A. Boyd’s //The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church// is a must-read for those who still believe the United States of America was and/or is a “Christian nation,” and still a great read for anyone who wants to look deeper into “American Christianity.” Here are a few major considerations on which Boyd writes:

• Kingdom of the Sword vs. Kingdom of the Cross
• Whose nation is holy?
• Warlord Conquerors vs. Sacrificial Witnesses
• Fallacious presuppositions in “taking America //back// for God,” “a //Christian// nation,” and “one nation under God.”
• Violence vs. Pacifism

Before this summer (2015) I had spent about ten months with my former church working through political theology, emphasizing the need to be and working first from the perspective and position of citizens of the kingdom of God. It was a great time, full of diverse backgrounds and opinions as we wrestled with history, scripture, and a plethora of contexts. Boyd’s book was on my shelf the entire time, but it was just one of many in my library waiting to be cracked open. Had I read it beforehand, I certainly would have used it as a group study. There are great discussion questions for each chapter at the end of the book to aid readers in wrestling with Boyd’s postulations, with which I will go ahead and say I agree. One may really appreciate his final chapter, wherein he addresses tough questions some readers would likely pose. It’s always nice to see an author continuing to honestly wrestle with his own tough convictions.

I do wish there had been a section on the importance of better understanding the way laws work, how they are or are not enforced (sometimes rendering them ineffective and pointless), legal //rights//, what “freedom” //really// is, and from whom we really receive these things. Boyd does briefly touch on a few of these, but not near enough given his main thesis. Perhaps just one more chapter would have rounded it out a bit better. However, I still highly recommend this one and hope to be able to use it in another group setting!

This was one of the most influential books I have read. In it, Dr. Gregory Boyd makes a cogent plea for Christian pacifism based on Jesus’ injunction to “love your neighbor” and “turn the other cheek.” Dr. Boyd argues that Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary was not merely an act to redeem man from sin, but was also a normative act setting the standard for Christian conduct: We are to give up our lives in self-sacrificial love for one another.
Some of the author’s arguments are, however, flawed. He argues that America is not and never was a Christian nation, due to the sins of slavery, discrimination and the treatment of Native Americans. However, he fails to acknowledge that no Christian is without sin and what is Christian in America’s character is its capacity for repentance and making wrongs right by, for example providing restitution to Native Americans and affirmative action for minorities that have traditionally been subject to discrimination. He also fails to acknowledge the role that devout Christians can play in government and the military by, for example, ensuring that military operations are conducted in accordance with the rule of law (as is the case for many of the attorneys employed by the military) and those who serve in government in ensure peace and justice in accordance with the Romans 13 “sword” divinely instituted by God.
An excellent reply to Dr. Boyd’s book can be found in John Teller’s book, “Dr. Gregory Boyd's Myth of a Christian Nation: A Reply, Refutation and Rebuttal.”

Gregory A. Boyd (born 1957) is a Christian theologian, Senior Pastor of the Woodland Hills Church, and President of Christus Victor Ministries. He has also written a number of other books such as God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God,Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity,Satan & the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy, etc.

He wrote in the Introduction to this 2005 book, "My thesis... is this: I believe a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry... I do NOT argue that those political positions are either wrong or right. Nor do I argue that Christians shouldn't be involved with politics... Rather, I hope to challenge the assumption that finding the right political path has anything to do with advancing the kingdom of God... What gives the connection between Christianity and politics such strong emotional force in the U.S.? I believe it is the longstanding myth that America is a Christian nation."

He begins by noting that when Jesus was asked by Pilate (Jn 18:33), "Are you the King of the Jews?", Jesus "told Pilate that his kingdom 'is not from this world.'" (Pg. 17)

Boyd wonders, "Whether one thinks the Gulf War was just or not... how can kingdom people not grieve the loss of Iraqi lives as much as the loss of American lives? Didn't Jesus die for Iraqis as much as for Americans?" (Pg. 90) He observes that when the 9/11 attacks occurred, a number of evangelical spokespeople (e.g., Jerry Falwell) pointed the finger at ... typical evangelical scapegoats---despite the New Testament's repeated insistence that we are not to judge others..." (Pg. 118)

He writes, "there is no plausible way to insert a 'just war' exception clause into Jesus' teachings. We are not to resist evildoers or return evil with evil---period." (Pg. 168) He adds, "I honestly see no way to condone a Christian's decision to kill on behalf of any country---or for any other reason." (Pg. 173)

Boyd's book will obviously be controversial, but it is a heartfelt and biblically-supported position, that is well worth reading, for persons interested in Christianity and politics.

I started this book twice over the past few years. Both times I lacked the motivation to finish it. However, when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage I picked it up again and read it in two days. Boyd makes a great case for how Christians are to live as aliens under whatever "kingdom of the world" they may find themselves. His emphasis on "power under" rather than "power over" is spot on. Jesus shows us how to live. We must be courageous enough to follow his lead. His is the way of love and service to all. When outsiders experience the love of Christ they will be drawn to him just as they were in the days Jesus physically walked the earth. If what they experience from us is condemnation and judgment, we are hiding our beauty as the bride of Christ and allowing the evil one to expose his ugliness.

Gregory Boyd, an evangelical pastor and Christian theologian, brings to light how we have confused the kingdom of God with the kingdom of the world, and with eloquence and intelligence exposes how that confusion has led the nation away from true Christianity. He unveils how our tribalistic nature causes us to advance our own group, nation, ethnicity, ideology, religion, or politics, and rather than embrace others who are different from ourselves, demonize them, contrary to what Jesus taught.

This tribal nature is made evident when he writes, "The thinking is that America was founded as a Christian nation but has simply veered off track. If we can just get the power of Caesar again, however, we can take it back. If we can just get more Christian policies, we can restore this nation to its "one nation under God" status. If we can just protect the sanctity of marriage, make it difficult, if not impossible, to live a gay lifestyle. And overturn Roe vs. Wade, we will be getting closer. If we can get prayer (Christian prayer, of course) back into our schools along with the Ten Commandments and creationist teaching, we will be restoring our country's Christian heritage. If we can just keep "one nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, protect the rights of Christians to speak their minds, get more control of the liberal media, clean up the trash that's coming out of the movie and record industry, while marginalizing, if not eradicating, liberal groups such as the ACLU, we will have won this nation back for Jesus Christ. Yes, the thinking goes, if only we can get Christian people and Christian ideas to dominate the political landscape, we will have won the culture war and God will be glorified."

He then powerfully points out that that the best way to defeat the kingdom of God, is to empower the church to rule the kingdom of the world, moving away from the kingdom of God--"The best way to get people to lay down their cross is to hand them the sword."

You will, after reading this book, look at your faith with a new enlightened perspective, and come closer to the Nazarene teacher you revere, and what he taught.

Joe Arrigo
Author of, The Secret Factor for Uncommon Sales Success

With the decline of Christian influence in The United States, I thought Gregory Boyd's The Myth of a Christian Nation would be an appropriate read. Turns out, Boyd has some very intriguing arguments.

He begins by stating that every kingdom in this world is actually a kingdom ruled by Satan. Even though some kingdoms appear to be "better" than others: say America compared to North Korea, they are all far from Kingdom of God.

In every kingdom now, everything is about "power over" - what you must do to get ahead and higher in the powerchain while God's kingdom is about power under: serving.

Boyd then talks about this idea that Christians need to "take America back for God" as if there was a time when America was actually God's country. He points to the invasion and destruction of the Native Americans, the Civil War, and the treatment of African Americans and asks, "When was America a godly country?"

This book takes a strong look at how some Christians have aligned themselves to a political power in order to change the heart of the country as if making laws will cause people to turn to Christ. If you look at the past 8 or 10 years, you'll notice that some in the Christian community have sold their "birthright" and have become zealots for a power of this world that is the complete opposite of what Jesus brought about.

Whatever your political stance is, this book will enhance your thought process on how to live Kingdom of God values.

This is a great book!

This book was provided for review by Zondervan Publishing.

Like many other reviewers, my theology and that of Mr. Boyd don't entirely line up, but that does not take away from the message and focus of this book. He asks important questions and challenges conventional thinking about the "gospel" of American Christianity--ideas and values that are American are not necessarily consistent with an objective evaluation of scripture (My opinion). He is clear very early on in stating where he lies in continuum of American political and social thinking and then sets out to make his points; many of which I absolutely agree with--some I do not. Boyd is a brother willing to challenge his readers to take a hard look at that place where their faith and culture intersect and, perhaps, recognize that American may not be quite as Christian as our modern-day mythology might lead us to believe. A very worthy read.

Gregory A. Boyd's controversial work is actually a collection of a series of sermons he gave at his church, Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The title reads like a historical treatment, but is actually a call to practice spirituality outside of the realms of nationality and politics.

Boyd develops two premises: he describes the Kingdom of the Sword, which is the mindset of the world, and the Kingdom of the Cross, which is a mindset that resembles Christ. He proposes that we have become to entrenched in the Kingdom of the Sword, and cannot see the way that Christ has shown us, i.e. the Kingdom of the Cross.

Boyd also empahsizes that being Christian means to follow and look like Christ. Therefore, a Christian nation should follow and look like Christ. The question is asked: does America bear fruit? Does this nation have a history of following and looking like Christ? Comparisons to Israel are made, but not in the usual "city on a hill" way. Boyd destroys the perception of America as moral guardian, instead pointing readers to the Bible as the authority on sin. There is also a question and answer format in the last chapter, discussing many of the tough questions he has been asked over the course of presenting these sermons.

This is a good book to read, especially in such politically dividing times. Boyd approaches the topic humbly, realizing that he still has room to grow. He doesn't claim to have mastered or even reached the lofty goals he proposes, but instead relies on the grace of God to eventually carry him to their end.

Originally posted at [...]

Imagine handing this book to the Crusader's to read on their charge to "take back" the Holy Land. Imagine handing this book to the Inquisitors as they prepared to chase down heretics and apostates to torture and burn. Would it get through to them? Or were they too convinced they were "right."

This book is Jesus's mission 101. Jesus's mission is actually more radical than that of the Religious Right in that he seems to demand the humanly impossible: transformational love rather than black and white morality. He chose the route of suffering servanthood rather than victorious political zealotry. That was his choice. What is ours?

Imagine Jesus sitting down with Pastor Boyd after reading this book in a personal and warm setting, what would he say? "Your heart and mind are moving in the right direction. I'm not going to give you any easy answers to the problems of the 21st century. I'll be here with you, but my way is not to force anyone. My way is not to force anyone, including you. You'll have to use your best judgment..." Then they would discuss the fine points of the book, some of the issues brought up by thoughtful readers posted at the store.com...

P.S.: Dr. Boyd's interview with Charlie Rose provides a good introduction to him and summary of his thought.

Gregory A. Boyd's controversial work is actually a collection of a series of sermons he gave at his church, Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The title reads like a historical treatment, but is actually a call to practice spirituality outside of the realms of nationality and politics.

Boyd develops two premises: he describes the Kingdom of the Sword, which is the mindset of the world, and the Kingdom of the Cross, which is a mindset that resembles Christ. He proposes that we have become to entrenched in the Kingdom of the Sword, and cannot see the way that Christ has shown us, i.e. the Kingdom of the Cross.

Boyd also empahsizes that being Christian means to follow and look like Christ. Therefore, a Christian nation should follow and look like Christ. The question is asked: does America bear fruit? Does this nation have a history of following and looking like Christ? Comparisons to Israel are made, but not in the usual "city on a hill" way. Boyd destroys the perception of America as moral guardian, instead pointing readers to the Bible as the authority on sin. There is also a question and answer format in the last chapter, discussing many of the tough questions he has been asked over the course of presenting these sermons.

This is a good book to read, especially in such politically dividing times. Boyd approaches the topic humbly, realizing that he still has room to grow. He doesn't claim to have mastered or even reached the lofty goals he proposes, but instead relies on the grace of God to eventually carry him to their end.

Originally posted at [...]

Imagine handing this book to the Crusader's to read on their charge to "take back" the Holy Land. Imagine handing this book to the Inquisitors as they prepared to chase down heretics and apostates to torture and burn. Would it get through to them? Or were they too convinced they were "right."

This book is Jesus's mission 101. Jesus's mission is actually more radical than that of the Religious Right in that he seems to demand the humanly impossible: transformational love rather than black and white morality. He chose the route of suffering servanthood rather than victorious political zealotry. That was his choice. What is ours?

Imagine Jesus sitting down with Pastor Boyd after reading this book in a personal and warm setting, what would he say? "Your heart and mind are moving in the right direction. I'm not going to give you any easy answers to the problems of the 21st century. I'll be here with you, but my way is not to force anyone. My way is not to force anyone, including you. You'll have to use your best judgment..." Then they would discuss the fine points of the book, some of the issues brought up by thoughtful readers posted at the store.com...

P.S.: Dr. Boyd's interview with Charlie Rose provides a good introduction to him and summary of his thought.

Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans--most American Christians--are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up.

This excerpt, taken from an article by Bill McKibben and published in the August 2005 edition of Harper's Magazine, sums up the main point of this excellent book by Gregory Boyd - there is an inherent danger in believing what our popular culture tells us about the very nature and principles of our government. Even if we wish, believe, or know that America was founded on biblical principles - there is no earthly government that manifests (reflects) the kingdom of God.

I appreciated the way Boyd builds on the work of others to point out the fallacy and danger of aligning my faith directly with my patriotism. While I did not agree with all of Boyd's conclusions, I believe his analysis deserves serious consideration, especially by Christians who desire their country to reflect their strivings to be more like Christ.

After preaching a six-part series on the message that eventually became the content of this book, Greg Boyd saw 20 percent of his church's membership --- about a thousand people --- head for the doors, never to return. To those who left, Boyd had crossed a seemingly unforgivable line in suggesting that partisan political activism had no place in the church and that Christians on both the right and the left had turned politics into a form of idolatry.

While the 20 percent who left Boyd's conservative Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, are the ones who made the news, a full 80 percent remained, grateful that Boyd had given voice to their own misgivings about the alarming and increasing coziness between conservative Christians and the Republican Party. Those who stayed have continued to wrestle, along with their pastor, with the dilemma of addressing social and moral issues while steering clear of partisan activity.

Throughout THE MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION, Boyd uses two distinct models --- the kingdom of God and the person of Jesus --- to help Christians discover a better way of effecting change and transforming society. Politics, he maintains, depends on a "power over" strategy, one that seeks control of the government in order to accomplish such goals as passing legislation, issuing executive orders, handing down judicial decisions, and taking military action, all according to a particular partisan viewpoint. This kingdom-of-the-world perspective stands in marked contrast to the "power under" kingdom of God concept of servanthood. But that contrast, he writes, is not as simplistic as a mere contrast between good and evil: "The contrast is rather between two fundamentally different ways of doing life, two fundamentally different mindsets and belief systems, two fundamentally different loyalties." The holy calling on our lives is to serve the world by looking like Jesus through replicating His sacrificial love, Boyd believes.

That's something that America as a country has never come close to achieving, he maintains. Hence, to call the U.S. a Christian nation is to promote belief in a myth. To those who argue that Christians need to "take America back for God," Boyd asks what they intend to "take America back" to --- a theocracy that never was? ("'One Nation under God" is not a slogan kingdom people in America should take too seriously," he writes.) The presumption that God raised up America as a most-favored nation is both groundless and an "assault" on the kingdom of God. What he calls our "quasi-Christian civil religion" bears no resemblance to the only theocracy God ever established, the ancient nation of Israel.

Though Boyd clearly opposes the intrusion of political activity into the church, nowhere does he encourage passivity. In a chapter dealing with hot-button moral issues like abortion --- appropriately titled "When Chief Sinners Become Moral Guardians" --- he reminds us once again of our ultimate model of "power under" living: "As people called to mimic Jesus in every area of our lives, we should find it significant that Jesus never assumed the position of moral guardian over any individual, let alone over the culture at large." Still, Jesus was a radical social activist, loving and serving and transforming the lives of others until He bled and died, and it's to this kind of social activism that Boyd believes we are called. And he provides practical examples of how that kind of activism looks in everyday life.

Those Christians who are thoroughly entrenched in a partisan battle for political power will likely dismiss Boyd's conclusions, despite the abundance of scriptural support, logical reasoning and spiritual wisdom that led to those conclusions. But for those who have grown disenchanted and uneasy with the encroachment of political sermons, rallies, fliers, voter guides and conformity into the life of many evangelical churches, Boyd offers a welcome relief and hope that the church can get back to the business of being the church. "I do not argue that those political positions are either wrong or right. Nor do I argue that Christians shouldn't be involved in politics," he writes. "Rather, I want to challenge the assumption that finding the right political path has anything to do with advancing the kingdom of God."

--- Reviewed by Marcia Ford

Gregory Boyd, an evangelical pastor and Christian theologian, brings to light how we have confused the kingdom of God with the kingdom of the world, and with eloquence and intelligence exposes how that confusion has led the nation away from true Christianity. He unveils how our tribalistic nature causes us to advance our own group, nation, ethnicity, ideology, religion, or politics, and rather than embrace others who are different from ourselves, demonize them, contrary to what Jesus taught.

This tribal nature is made evident when he writes, "The thinking is that America was founded as a Christian nation but has simply veered off track. If we can just get the power of Caesar again, however, we can take it back. If we can just get more Christian policies, we can restore this nation to its "one nation under God" status. If we can just protect the sanctity of marriage, make it difficult, if not impossible, to live a gay lifestyle. And overturn Roe vs. Wade, we will be getting closer. If we can get prayer (Christian prayer, of course) back into our schools along with the Ten Commandments and creationist teaching, we will be restoring our country's Christian heritage. If we can just keep "one nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, protect the rights of Christians to speak their minds, get more control of the liberal media, clean up the trash that's coming out of the movie and record industry, while marginalizing, if not eradicating, liberal groups such as the ACLU, we will have won this nation back for Jesus Christ. Yes, the thinking goes, if only we can get Christian people and Christian ideas to dominate the political landscape, we will have won the culture war and God will be glorified."

He then powerfully points out that the best way to defeat the kingdom of God, is to empower the church to rule the kingdom of the world, moving away from the kingdom of God--"The best way to get people to lay down their cross is to hand them the sword."

You will, after reading this book, look at your faith with a new enlightened perspective, and come closer to the Nazarene teacher you revere, and what he taught.

Joe Arrigo
Author of, The Secret Factor for Uncommon Sales Success

I have always wanted to believe that America was founded to be a Christian nation. Boyd took me to task. Christ emphasised how the greatest must be a servant to all and Boyd shows how the U.S.A has been anything but. I would want to live in no other place and am greatful for the freedoms we enjoy but I agreed with Boyd that the Christians home is with Christ who showed no interest in worldly "power over" tactics. Well written with plenty of scripture to support his thesis. My one problem was the feeling from time to time that the author has an axe to grind.

I highly recommend "Myth of a Christian Nation." It is a well written, engaging, and scripturally based book that will likely challenge the Christian reader in the way they live out their faith.

Boyd's premise is that the New Testament describes a "power-under" dynamic, where we are called to live radically loving lives that look like Christ. Kingdom people serve others, as Jesus took upon himself the role of a servant and washed the feed of the disciples. As Jesus' loved us enough to give his life for us, we are to love others - even our enemies - to the point of death. The power-under dynamic of the KoG looks like the cross of Christ. Boyd calls the Christian reader to seek to have a KoG mindset, as defined in scripture, and to live in a way that looks like Christ.

Contrasted to this is the Kingdom of the World (KoW) which uses a "power-over" dynamic to achieve individual and tribal influence in the world. In every way it is opposite of the Kingdom of God. Boyd notes that Satan is called the "God of this World", and as such, he exercises significant influence on the world systems. The power-over dynamic looks like the sword.

As Boyd tells us this book was inspired by a sermon series he preached in 2004 called the "Cross and the Sword," which resulted in about 20 percent of the congregation leaving his church.

A common objection to Boyd's message is that "you cannot separate our faith" from our actions in this world. What I think Boyd is trying to say is that we should not IDENTIFY our society or country as "Christian." Doing so suggests to those outside the church that the actions of our society and our country reflect the Christian faith. While it is true that this country may do very good things, as a power-over structure it does not reflect Christ.

Some suggest that Boyd is promoting a particular political position. This totally misses Boyd's point. ANY political activity is a part of the KoW dynamic. While he repeatedly tells the reader to "vote their conscience," he reminds us that the realm of politics is outside the realm of radical Christ-like love that "does not seek its own."

Boyd, like Jesus, the disciples, St. Francis, and others who took Jesus' message very literally may seem a little odd to you. Yet, it is just that oddness that fascinates us. It is so different than what we know, and we hope that, perhaps, they might be right. The "Myth of a Christian Nation" is indeed a challenging book, but I have found that I have benefited by allowing it to challenge me.

Myth of Christian Nation was my first introduction to Greg Boyd, and I've been hooked ever since! The book came about as a result of a series of sermons that Boyd preached in the weeks up to the 2004 presidential election. During that time, Pastor Boyd was facing constant pressure by other pastors and people in his own congregation to take a stand on the "moral issues" , which Boyd wisely saw the translation as "vote Republican." Pastor Boyd decided to confront the issue head one publicly in a series of sermons detailing the dangers of Christians mixing the Kingdom of God with the Kingdom of the Sword, and lost a sizable chunk of his congregation because of it!

In the book, Boyd lays out clearly and succinctly why he believes the vast majority of evangelicals today are guilty of "national and political idolatry." He also takes considerable aim at the phrase "Taking America Back for God" as if there is a such thing as some glory days of virtue that our nation should turn back to. Self-proclaimed "culture warriors" will likely be infuriated by reading this book. If that's the case, then Greg Boyd is in good company. Religious people didn't like Jesus very much either in His day.

Here is my favorite paragraph:

We evangelicals may be divorced and remarried several times; we may be as greedy and as unconcerned about the poor and as gluttonous as others in our culture; we may be as prone to gossip and slander and as blindly prejudiced as others in our culture; we may be more self-righteous and as rude as others in our culture--we may even lack love more than others in the culture. These sins are among the most frequently mentioned sins in the Bible. But at least we're not gay!

Ouch! Preach on!

Aaron D. Taylor, author of Alone with A Jihadist: A Biblical Response To Holy War

Boyd's contention is that "a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry" and his thesis is that "fusing together the kingdom of God with this [American] version of the kingdom of the world is idolatrous and that this fusion is having serious negative consequences for Christ's church and for the advancement of God's kingdom."

He makes his point by contrasting the "Kingdom of the Sword" (wherever a person or group exercises power over others) with the "Kingdom of the Cross," a power *under* kingdom where "greatness is defined by serving and sacrificing for others." In so doing, he describes negative consequences that have resulted from the myth that America is a Christian nation -- the harm to local and global missions, the tendency to misplace trust and the resulting minimization of distinctly kingdom ways of influencing society, the danger of focusing on protecting and advancing the civil religion and morality rather than simply serving people, and the inclination to view America as a theocracy, like Old Testament Israel.

In all of this, Boyd makes a strong case for abandoning this myth, But what I appreciate most is not so much the contrast of kingdoms itself as the practical view he gives of what the Kingdom of God looks like. "It looks like humility. It looks like grace. It looks like service. It looks like Jesus."

Though I am not (yet?) convinced of the nearly complete pacifistic interpretation he gives in the final chapter, Boyd makes a compelling case for turning our attention back to serving others in a power under way, and abandoning the quest for political power to grant us power over others.

Boyd does not take a stance of being republican or democratic. I was a little skeptical about reading this book at first because I do not like politics very much and thought that was what Boyd was going to be pushing. Boy was I wrong. Boyd talks about the difference between the Kingdom of the World and the Kingdom of God. He opened my eyes up to God's Kingdom in a way I had never really viewed it before. This is a great read to stretch you current views, and open your mind to being mindful of things that are important to God.

This is a challenging book by a thoughtful firebrand who respects Scripture and is willing to question our established ways of navigating the world. I respect Boyd's clarity and courage, even if I don't agree with all of his conclusions. I read the book back in 2006 and again this year and it continues to remain relevant and provocative. Definitely worth reading.

The Myth of a Christian Nation will challenge your faith and goes to prove that instead of Christianity being for blind followers, it is in fact for those willing to be challenged each day.

Boyd helps us to separate the Kingdom-of-the-World from the Kingdom-of-God and how by follwing Jesus' example we are to live as "power under" people as opposed to "power over" people.

The challenge is not an easy one, but one, nontheless, that followers of Jesus must try to emulate as much as humanly possible. In other words, a life of self-sacrafice, love, nonviolence, tolerance and selflessness are qualities all sinners must work on.

I would highly recommend this book to any Christian who strives to improve their life and life for everyone on this planet.

I just recently finsihed reading Gregory Boyd's book entitled, The Myth Of A Christian Nation. I was given this book as a gift from a friend who happens to be a Freewill Baptist Minister. At last there is hope! This book should be a required reading for every church member. The people in this country are so ignorant of real history and of the true tenents of Jesus' ministry. This is not one of those books that attempts to label the forefathers as die-hard Diests, although their Diestic tendencies are mentioned. Boyd does a wonderful job comparing the differences between the Kingdom of the World and the Kingdom of God. This thought-provoking work will certainly find a permanent place on my shelf!

Randall F. Hubbard
History Teacher
Springville, Alabama

Boyd's book Myth of a Christian Nation is amazing. Gregory Boyd is a local pastor near my hometown and an evangelical who truly understands what it means to follow Jesus Christ's Kingdom of Heaven, when it is so easy for evangelicals to follow the Kingdom of the World by mistake.

I encourage even the most staunch conservative evangelical to sit down with a cup of your favorite drink and read this book with an open mind. You will never be the same again!

This is great stuff!! Anyone who seeks to understand the role of a Christian in relation to culture and politics should check this out.The writer argues that It's time Christians influenced culture with the love and life of Christ as opposed to strong arm political tactics. Any time the church seeks to align itself with the state it's a bad thing. The book is a bit redundant but it never hurts to be reminded.

Boyd clearly shows the difference between Jesus's teachings and American politics. The book was especially inspiring and thought provoking for some one in the church but generally unhappy with mainline politics and "God and Country" attitudes.

Once again Boyd has taken a challenging and thought-provoking topic, faced it head-on and addressed it biblically and intellectually. I can understand now why he received so much flack from the broader evangelical church because he exposes a number of "chinks" in their armor and challenges many ideals that it has held - and largely continues to hold - for centuries. This book draws a healthy distinction between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God and indicates where the evangelical church has gotten off-track and off-mission by politicizing faith and trying to legislate morality. Kudos to Boyd for graciously yet firmly and unapologetically challenging the Church to build God's kingdom by trusting & imitating Christ!

Gregory Boyd is a mega church pastor with a timely message for American Evangelical Christians. Boyd, unlike Rick Warren, explains how nationalism and politics linked with the kingdom of God continues to do great harm to the church.

Boyd talks about the relatively new value of "political freedom" that is prevalent among many Christians. He explains how this has nothing to do with real Christianity because it is self centered. The kingdom of God that Jesus modeled for us is based on love, self-sacrifice and servanthood and does not use force to protect itself. He goes on to say "It is impossible to love your enemies and bless those who persecute you, while at the same time defending your right to political freedom by killing those who threaten you". This concept seems so obvious to the teachings of Jesus, yet it is widely rejected or intentionally not addressed by much of the American Evangelicals in favor of a nationalistic (God and country) Christianity.

Boyd reminds us to imitate Jesus and love like Jesus to keep ourselves from being pulled into 'kingdom of the world' answers to our life situations. Boyd ends with a series of tough questions and answers that challenge the perspectives brought forth in this book.

Until a recent article in the New York Times I never heard of this author/pastor. It's time we hear more of pastors with the valuable lessons Mr. Boyd brings to the table and less of Rick Warren.

Dr. Boyd is undoubtedly a fine christian and a scholar. He leads a large church and teaches at a fine seminary. I, on the other hand, am a Chemistry Professor and lack any formal theological training. I do teach a men's Sunday School Class. So I speak as a layman.

I enjoyed Dr. Boyd's book, however, it does present two problems.

The first is his definition of "righteousness". Basically, he equates "righteousness" or "goodness" with "mercy." The characteristics of "goodness" he lists as follows. Loving our enemies, forgiving transgressors, blessing persecutors, serving sinners, accepting social rejects, abolishing racism, giving to the poor, and bearing the burdens of our neighbors. Basically it is all about "kindness." There is nothing said about honesty, sexual purity, honor, loyalty to one's spouse,justice, etc. C. S. Lewis mentions exactly this error in his book "Mere Christianity" Book one, Chapter two, paragraph five. He states, "You may think love of humanity in general was safe, but it is not. If you leave out justice you will find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials 'for the sake of humanity' and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man."

Americans often don't mind equating "goodness" with "kindness". It is easy to convince ourselves that we are "kind" when we are simply content. It is not so easy to convince ourselves that we are honest or sexually pure. It is human nature to emphasize some virtues and ignore others. The white men said the American Indian was a "savage" since he wasn't merciful. The American Indian, on the other hand, said the white man spoke with a "forked tongue" because he lied. Both were right. They each just emphasized some virtues and ignored others. Boyd emphasizes "mercy" and ignores the rest.

The second problem that I have is his interpretation of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. He seems to hold the view that Christians should spend their time with a towel binding the wounds of unfortunates. Christians, therefore, in times past should have simply bound the wounds of slaves and not sought governmental sanctions against it. This seems to me to be simply treating the symptoms of the problem and not the cause. Luckily for the slaves, not all Christians took this view. One example is William Wilberforce an Evangelical Christian who was a member of Parliment in England. He worked diligently for years seeking to abolish slavery in England. He took this position after he was converted to Christianity. Once he became so discouraged he considered abandoning the Parliment and entering the ministry. John Newton, the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace" was his minister and talked him out of it. It seems to me that he went after the cause of this problem and thereby solved it, at least in England. On his deathbed he received word that 700,000 slaves had been freed. He did help them far more effectively than he would have by simply binding their wounds. Boyd seems to abhore Christians engaging in being the salt of the earth if it involves seeking to promote candidates who espouse Christian values.

I am confident that Dr. Boyd is a competent and sincere Christian and simply am relating the impression that I got from his book as a Christian layman. I found his discussion of whether or not America was a Christian nation to be fascinating and was not aware of the influence that Augustine had in the corruption of the Catholic church. I also liked his point about the "magical" sinners prayer. I don't think we can confine God's work to a "formula" and neither does Dr. Boyd. People come to Christ by many different pathways and all are not preceeded by the "sinners prayer." Examples are Paul and the disciples.

Robert Lewis

Greg Boyd paints us a beautiful picture of what the kingdom of God is all about. This book challenged me in so many ways.

1) It released me from the non-sensical assertion that it is my "Christian Duty" to vote. As if going to a booth and placing a stingy vote is fulfilling the commandment of Christ to lay down my life for people. Because the truth is (and Boyd points this out well), is that placing a vote is not laying down my life for anyone.

2) This book gives us a beautiful, Biblical picture of who God is, found in Jesus Christ. A lot of preachers depict God "wielding the sword," or in other words, coercing our behavior. This view of God is problematic, and from my experience it is a very harmful way to view God. Boyd poignantly shows us that God changes the heart, not just our behavior.

3) This book made me completely aware of my unique calling as a kingdom of God person. Which is to live in love and join God in his mission of redeeming the world. To partner with God in establishing "His Kingdom Here on Earth, As It Is In Heaven;" something that a government can never do.

Over all it is a really good book. It'll make you pumped about the Kingdom of God. It's easy to read and it is poignant. A much needed book for Kingdom People.

Joe.

This book brings our focus back to the right place: the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a valuable, eye-opening text that reveals how the politicization of the church has removed our attention from its proper place. I highly recommend this book.