Radical Christian Writings: A Reader [Paperback]

Andrew Bradstock (Editor), Christopher Rowland (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0631222502 | ISBN-13: 978-0631222507 | Publication Date: March 11, 2002 | Edition: 1

This volume, which fills a gap in the current literature, will be essential reading for third-year undergraduates and above in Biblical studies.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Within the Christian church, a consistent radical and concurrently political strain was developed over the centuries. That strain has two chief characteristics: it centers on Jesus as understood by the New Testament authors and by the early church, and it criticizes the "false" religions in which faith gets thin while theater gets thick. This radical strain is also political in that it requires Christians to subject the practices of the world to the Politics of the Kingdom. Its followers and founders, who range from the apologist Justin to feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, produced a theology of plain speaking in their homes and on the streets rather than in the universities. Bradstock (United Reformed Church, London) and Rowland (Queen's Coll., Univ. of Oxford) have assembled the writings of 63 radical Christian authors from the second through the 20th centuries. Some are theologians of greater or lesser renown, others are social activists, still others are poets and essayists. Although many of the cited authors have appeared in other anthologies, the organization and diversity of this work make it fairly distinctive. Recommended for seminary and academic libraries. David I. Fulton, Coll. of Saint Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The organization and diversity of this work make it fairly distinctive. Recommended for seminary and academic libraries." Library Journal

"Whilst diverse in subject, the editors have done a marvellous job in providing an editorial narrative that takes the reader apace through the ideas of this group of Christian thinkers, activists and theologians. This is what makes the book hard to put down - the authors' enthusiasm for their subject comes through in both their treatment of the individuals and of the literature. The book will undoubtedly become a useful source of study and reference material, but it is more than this. For me, it has provided a fascinating window onto some lesser-known authors who have developed ideas which provide a context for the thoughts of today's Christian socialists. It is not a book to be rushed through, but one to which I will enjoy returning and exploring again and again." Christian Socialist

"This compilation is a welcome contribution, combining as it does feminist and black theology themes with the incipient communism of the Civil War radicals." Anabaptism Today

"An inspiring collection." Church Times

"This book is a goldmine, which I have already put on the Reading List for a new course...This is essential for scholars, and a good read for many others as well." Reform

"[T]hose who read Radical Christian Writings with patience and proper guidance will find it an invaluable resource. Nowhere else is the range and depth of Christian social prophecy so fully displayed." Theology

"The book offers an easy introduction to subversive Christian thought through the ages and should be a welcome addition to the shelves of thoughtful Congregationalists whose history includes many forays into radical activity, as well as to Christians of all denominations." Congregational History Circle Magazine

"The 63 authors selected in this collection offer an exciting array of diverse insights into what is usually called 'the Christian tradition,' but perhaps should more accurately labeled 'the Christian traditions.'" The European Legacy

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (March 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631222502
• ISBN-13: 978-0631222507
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,988,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Radical" in the true sense of the word!, January 25, 2004

By 

Kerry Walters (Lewisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Radical Christian Writings: A Reader (Paperback)

The editors of this magnificent anthology begin their preface with this claim: "The Gospel of Jesus Christ, announcing the arrival of the kingdom or reign of God, offered a radical and subversive challenge to the world, its powers and authorities." Over the last two thousand years, Christians have willfully ignored or indifferently forgotten the subversive character of Christianity. The writings collected here are from the pens of those few who have retained the ideal of liberation offered by Christ. They are truly "radical," in that they return to the roots of the Jesus movement to remind the rest of us of its nature.

Authors excerpted in the anthology range from Justin Martyr in the second century to contemporary authors from the developing countries. The pages have small print and wide margins, so there's an entire library of source materials crammed into this single volume. Representative authors include Pelagius, Marguerite Porete, Joachim of Fiore, John Ball, Lollards, Levellers, and Anabaptists, Bunyan, John Woolman, the French worker-priests, Steve Biko, William Stringfellow, Sara Maitland, Kenneth Leech, and Daniel Berrigan. There are many authors here, particularly from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, who are quite likely to be new names for most readers (at least they were for me!), and their writings are utterly fascinating.

All in all, an incredible reminder to all of us that a good part of the Christian lifestyle is bucking the powers and principalities so that justice can roll down like water. Alas! Like all Blackwell books, this one is overpriced. But if you can afford it, Bradstock and Rowland's book is a keeper!