What Kind of Revolution?
The Wilderness Revolt: A New View of the Life and Death of Jesus Based on the Ideas and Notes of the Late Bishop James A. Pike, by Diane Kennedy Pike and R. Scott Kennedy (Doubleday, 1972, 385 pp., $7.95), The Roman Siege of Jerusalem, by Rupert Furneaux (McKay, 1972, 274 pp., $6.95), and Jesus and the Politics of Violence, by George R. Edwards (Harper & Row, 1972, 168 pp., $5.95), are reviewed by John H. White, dean of religious services and assistant professor of Bible, Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
Violence and proposals for violent revolution have become a mark of our time. Established powers have a ready response to violent revolution—the response of armed force. To the dismal sequence of violence and counter violence there seems to be no end. The Christian must ask: Was Jesus a violent revolutionary, a non-violent pacifist, or something else?
Here are three books that try to discover whether Jesus was a revolutionary, and if so what kind. Each is directly or indirectly concerned with the Brandon-Eisler thesis that Jesus complied with the political violence against Rome in first-century Palestine, and that the gospel record is, except for some remnants, a picture of Jesus depoliticized in order to pacify the Roman government.
The Wilderness Revolt and The Roman Siege of Jerusalem support the Brandon-Eisler thesis and seek to update it. The Wilderness Revolt is a posthumous publication of ideas of Bishop James A. Pike. Each chapter begins with a section entitled “In the Words of James A. Pike”; after the brief quotation comes the authors’ expansion of it with what is often a rather disorganized and inconclusive documentation.
For example: “Everything Jesus did and said would have been understood by him and by his disciples and Jewish masses in the context of Apocalyptic Messianism.” Jesus was willing to be the Messianic king who would lead the Jews against Rome, say the authors, but he would use violence only if there were a sign from God. He was a blend of Zealot and apocalyptist, a continuation of the freedom fighters in the Qumran tradition. In this interpretation, all the traditional events of Jesus’ ministry become political demonstrations. So the book concludes, “The disciples were in error about Jesus’ life but it can still have profound meaning for us today if properly understood.” Parapsychological phenomena may be the means both of discovering and of verifying that meaning.
What these authors give us is a complete reconstruction of the life of Jesus drawn from the flimsy evidence of the political situation of his day.
In A.D. 66 the Jews rebelled against their Roman rulers. In The Roman Seige of Jerusalem Rupert Furneaux offers a good perspective on the Judaism of that time. He specializes in the interpretation of military history, and in this book he captures something of the intrigue of the plots and betrayals that shaped those Palestinian events.
Furneaux, too, sets forth Jesus Christ as a Jewish nationalist. He says that Paul in his reconstruction reworked him into a deity. “To understand his career, we need to reject the emotional appeal of the Gospel story and to clear up the misunderstanding about the role of the Messiah.” The gospel writers were disguising a fact unpalatable to their readers, that the founder of their religion was put to death for political sedition. These authors either intentionally misrepresented or were ignorant of Jewish nationalistic hopes. Furneaux feels there is a Christian determination to misinterpret the Jewish concept that the Messiah was nothing more than an earthly champion filled with divine spirit.
Jesus and the Politics of Violence stands in contrast to these two books. It is an attempt to face issues of critical New Testament scholarship and contemporary politics. The author points out carefully and accurately that S. G. F. Brandon (Jesus and the Zealots) went through the Gospels seeking to fit Jesus into the mold of a militant Jewish nationalist.
Two chapters contain Edwards’s analysis of Mark’s Gospel. Brandon and others see the Book of Mark as a tendentious attempt to promote “rapprochement between Christianity and Rome,” explains Edwards, a revision of the previous picture of Jesus as a political revolutionary. In a chapter entitled “Mark Without Politics” Edwards attempts to correct that view by setting forth, with some reservations, William Wrede’s view of the secret messiah. He seeks to show that Mark’s literary purpose is not political apology but de-ethnicizing and depoliticizing the early Church’s understanding of the Messiah: “In an age when men assign political significance to all phenomena one must be careful in addressing political questions to a biblical literature which is ‘beyond politics.’ ”
It is regrettable, however, that in his analysis Edwards adopts the higher-critical view of the biblical evidence held by the writers whom he criticizes. Over and over he differentiates between Jesus’ self-image and the early Church’s view of him. He gives a moving argument for selective conscientious objection, but one wonders how that position springs out of the biblical data. Indeed, Edwards says that its defense comes from contextual ethics.
The paradigm for us as men is the pacific Christ. Yet Edwards, while trying to make it clear that the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith are the same, gives away the whole foundation of his argument when he says that Christ “stands on the boundary between faith and history.… If, furthermore, it could be shown that no such model man as the Gospels exhibit actually existed, then it would be forthwith necessary for the moral sanity of the world to create one.”
To those who take the words of Jesus at face value, The Roman Siege of Jerusalem and The Wilderness Revolt seem extremely radical. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount seems plain enough: the only consistently Christian way is the way of nonviolence. Yet some modern scholars maintain that the picture of the pacific Jesus is unhistorical, that it is a perversion of an earlier, more authentic portrayal of Jesus as a political insurgent against Roman oppression. There are, we are told, surviving fragments of this earlier picture, and they are clues to the real historical Jesus.
Accurate critiques have been given of this approach, and Edwards’s book adds to that number. Some readers will also be interested in the work of Martin Hengel and two books by Oscar Cullmann, The State in the New Testament and Jesus and the Revolutionaries.
In this reviewer’s judgment, the corrective to such exegetical aberrations is to have a correct approach to the Scriptures. They are primarily the history of redemption, and Jesus Christ must be seen in the total context of that redemption as the Second Adam. In the temptation, for example, he acts as the federal head of his people and rejects the role of a militant messiah.
Evangelicals, however, have been guilty of underestimating the influence of messianic movements on the doctrine and life of the early Christian Church. The Church has been influenced by opposing fads: on the one hand, the tendency of the political left to view Jesus as a proponent of revolution, and on the other, the tendency to think that Jesus baptizes the American way of life with his blessing. May such books as these call evangelicals to repent and to be gripped by the counter-cultural nature of Christianity. If we returned to Jesus, we would have a revolution indeed—a revolution based on the radical principles of Scripture.
Biblical Vision For ‘Faith Evangelical’
Brethren, Hang Loose, by Robert Girard (Zondervan, 1972, 220 pp., $4.95, $1.95 pb), and The Church in God’s Program, by Robert Saucy (Moody, 1972, 254 pp., $5.95), are reviewed by Marlin Jeschke, chairman, Division of Bible, Religion, and Philosophy, Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana.
The doctrine of the Church has fallen on hard times in recent years. Maybe euphoria is too strong a word, but certainly a mood of confidence and optimism marked the church world in the fifties and early sixties. It was the day of well-publicized ecumenical gatherings and a spate of books on the doctrine of the Church (e.g., Brown, Jenkins, Miller, Nelson, Newbigin, Welch).
But now have come falling attendance, flagging financial support, ecumencial uncertainty, and general perplexity about what the Church is and how it can become or remain relevant in our ongoing modem world. And just when the going has gotten tough, book publishing in general has deserted the field and followed the fads to new areas such as situation ethics and women’s liberation.
In the face of this it is good to see some new books about the church, and on both sides of the subject needing treatment, systematic and practical theology. Saucy tries to set forth the biblical model of the church, and Girard seeks to make the biblical vision come alive in a local congregation.
In my opinion, The Church in God’s Program does not quite strike fire. With its subtitles and clear organization, it seems intended as a text on the doctrine of the Church for courses in theology. But its textbook nature is not the problem. Nor is the content (though most of what is in the first three chapters on the nature of the Church has already been done in, e.g., Minear). On the whole Saucy comes to sane conclusions about the organization of the Church, its ministry, and the ordinances.
The problem seems to be a pedestrian systematic format imposed upon biblical materials. Heavily lacing his text with references, Saucy obviously tries to let the biblical model of the Church shine forth; but the organization of the book reflects Protestant thought of the 1800s, and this tends to get in the way of the biblical model. If Saucy wants to be biblical, he would do much better to let the organization of his subject emerge from the biblical materials themselves rather than cite scriptural texts to support a systematic theology coming from elsewhere.
This is where Robert Girard’s book comes in for comment—and I am glad I read these together. For when I had finished with Saucy’s book I got the feeling that, if it didn’t actually endorse the typical Faith Evangelical Church of Suburbia, it certainly spoke no prophetic word to it. And yet Faith Evangelical Church of Suburbia is exactly what Girard claims he for too long took as his ideal only to find it wanting. “The Glorious Evangelical Status Quo,” he calls it, which he had to abandon in order to discover how God wanted to work in the world.
Girard describes his experience with Our Heritage Wesleyan Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Running a heavily programmed, outwardly “successful” evangelical church, Girard sensed a hollowness in it all, because he became convinced the “success” did not really represent the joy and power of the New Testament. And so Girard turned away from the pastorally planned program to let God build His church. And he turned to cell groups to find the spiritual life his church needed.
Girard’s story has been told before—and perhaps better—in Tom Allan, The Face of My Parish, Joseph McCabe, The Power of God in a Parish Program, and Robert Raines, New Life in the Church. But that doesn’t make it superfluous. Every testimony to a revitalized church is worthwhile because, like Paul’s reports in Acts, it is a story of God at work.
The book is a little repetitive in places, and it tends to sensationalize somewhat, reveling in the “wow!” of spiritual liberation. But perhaps the fault lies in the fact that churches by and large do not expect to live in the freedom and power of the Spirit; this makes the experience seem abnormal. The danger, of course, is that cell groups will become another gimmick. In the end the Church is not just living-room rap sessions. It is the body of Christ in the world, with a structure, a confession, a missionary task, and a prophetic witness to the world. But where the Church has not found authentic spiritual life, the courage to let go and test new forms may be a necessary step.
NEWLY PUBLISHED
A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, by Homer Hailey (Baker, 428 pp., $6.95). Fills a gap in most expositors’ libraries. Gives verse-by-verse help—neither sermonic nor technical—on background and meaning.
What Does God Want, Anyway?, by Okke Jager (Judson, 191 pp., $6.50). An admirable, well written discussion of how to find out.
The Psychology of Religious Doubt, by Philip M. Helfaer (Beacon, 345 pp., $19.95). An absorbing study of twelve Protestant seminarians (evangelicals and liberals) and their bouts with uncertainty. Helfaer, a clinical psychologist, provides insight into the problems but makes no attempt to solve them. Those suffering from religious doubt won’t necessarily find help here.
Techniques and Resources for Guiding Adult Groups, edited by Harold D. Minor (Abingdon, 159 pp., $2.25 pb). This book is divided into four sections: group life, guiding a study group, ways of learning, and resources for learning. Unfortunately, each main section has so many subheadings and divisions that the book becomes fragmented and hard to follow.
Liberated Love, by Chester A. Pennington (Pilgrim, 127 pp., $4.95). A sensitive little book that puts love in proper perspective.
Reason in Pastoral Counseling, by Paul A. Hauck (Westminster, 236 pp., $5.95). A clinical psychologist outlines a new technique for pastoral counseling based on rational-emotive therapy, an Albert Ellis brain-child. Shows, with case histories, how pastors can use elements of this approach.
A Literary Approach to the New Testament, by John Paul Pritchard (University of Oklahoma, 1972, 358 pp., $8.95). An interesting but perhaps not very helpful critical review. Discusses such literary techniques as symbolism, themes, and juxtaposition, as well as the stylistic development of some New Testament writers. Such an approach does give a good introductory background to the culture and historical setting of the New Testament.
Effective Counseling, by Gary Collins (Creation House, 202 pp., $2.95 pb). A handbook written to inform church leaders of changes and progress in the counseling field and how these can be applied to their ministry.
Healer of the Mind, edited by Paul E. Johnson (Abingdon, 270 pp., $6.95). Ten specialists in psychotherapy, including Paul Tournier and Donald Moore, speak freely of their personal quests for a faith to live by.
The Reality of the Devil: Evil in Man, by Ruth Nanda Anshen (Harper, 142 pp., $6.95). A strange book on the phenomenology of evil and the Evil One by a writer who takes the Devil seriously, though she is not committed to biblical Christianity. Contains many fascinating ideas, especially about the ambiguity of evil and its representatives, but needs to be supplemented by more reliably biblical material.
Wandering in the Wildnerness: Christians and the New Culture, by Robert Benne (Fortress, 115 pp., $3.25 pb). A plan for parish renewal incorporating the youth culture, the small-group movement, and organizational development.
The Church and the Ecological Crisis, by Henlee H. Barnette (Eerdmans, 114 pp., $2.25 pb). This attempt to couple a sacramental view of nature with a sketchy recital of well-known ecological data does not increase our appreciation for either.
How to Believe Again, by Helmut Thielicke (Fortress, 220 pp., $3.95 pb). Topical sermons by Germany’s most popular Protestant pulpiteer. Thielicke almost always gives evangelicals food for thought, and much of what he says is very useful, especially as guidance for a psychologically effective application of Christian truth.
Audio-Visual Media in Christian Education, by Gene A. Getz (Moody, 236 pp., $5.95). Revision of a thoroughly practical manual that should be in all church libraries. At times the material may sound simplistic, but many churches need to know the basics as well as the more sophisticated information Getz gives.
Puritan Rhetoric: The Issue of Emotion in Religion, by Eugene E. White (Southern Illinois University, 215 pp., $7.95). An introduction to and documents of the Great Awakening. Interesting, timely reading in light of the contemporary revival scene.
Then Joy Breaks Through, by George Benson (Seabury, 139 pp., $4.95). A Christian psychoanalyst compares the case history of a guilt-ridden teen-ager with the stages of growth in the life of the Apostle Peter, emphasizing the restorative power of the Christian faith.
The Unprivate Life of a Pastor’s Wife, by Frances Nordland (Moody, 176 pp., $3.95). A realistic assessment of the responsibilities and privileges of the pastor’s wife. Drawing on thirty years of experience, the author intersperses humor, Scripture, and personal illustrations in a highly readable account.
Ethical Resources for Political and Economic Decision, by Harvey Seifert (Westminster, 174 pp., $5.75). Ethical guidelines for radically altering our political and economic structures. Changes in beliefs and life-styles are seen as prerequisite to a successful adaptation to the next stage of human history.
Creative Congregations, edited by Edgar R. Trexler (Abingdon, 143 pp., $2.45 pb), and New Hope for Congregations, by Loren Mead (Seabury, 128 pp., $2.95 pb). Filled with case studies of “creative congregations,” these are both “can do” and “how to” books that should interest anyone whose local church congregation lacks vitality.
The Mental Health Ministry of the Local Church, by Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. (Abingdon, 300 pp., $2.95 pb), and Group Counseling in the Church, by John B. Oman (Augsburg, 128 pp., $2.95 pb). The central thesis of the first book (reprint of a 1965 title) is the healing-redemptive ministry of the local church in both the preventive and the therapeutic aspect of mental health. The second book is a guide for developing counseling groups in which the healing of persons is brought about through a caring community.
The Delicate Creation, by Christopher Derrick (Devin-Adair, 129 pp., $5.95). A brilliant and imaginative essay on the relation between theology and ecology. Derrick, a conservative Roman Catholic, interprets today’s crisis as a stage in the conflict between Christian (i.e., creationist and Gnostic-Manichaean (i.e., anti-creationist) thought.
Black Religion and Black Radicalism, by Gayraud S. Wilmore (Doubleday, 344 pp., $7.95). A historical analysis of the black religious experience stressing the centrality of that experience to the whole spectrum of black American history and culture.
A Social Action Primer, by Dieter T. Hessel (Westminster, 138 pp., $2.95 pb). A how-to-do-it handbook for groups interested in altering societal structures. In non-technical terms the author stresses strategic thinking and effective action. A final chapter is on local church involvement.
Three Popes and the Cardinal, by Malachi Martin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 300 pp., $7.95). A former Jesuit professor brings a detailed knowledge of history and contemporary Catholic church politics into play to predict the imminent disappearance of Roman Catholicism as a viable structure. Provocative but not necessarily reliable prophecy.
The Betrayal of Wisdom, by R. J. Kreyche (Alba House, 237 pp., $3.95 pb). A former president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association attempts to rescue philosophy from its current disrepute by urging a return to the idea of philosophy as therapy, wisdom, and understanding of life. Offers a creative human dimension along with a fresh treatment of selected philosophical themes.
The Dispersion of the People of God, by Richard R. DeRidder (Baker, 239 pp., $4.95 pb). A discussion of Matthew 28:19, 20 against the background of Jewish proselytism and Jesus’ apostleship, with an application to the life of the Church today. Originally a Ph.D. thesis at the Free University of Amsterdam by a former missionary who is currently a pastor in the United States.
