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Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals Paperback – Illustrated, March 3, 2008
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Jesus for President is a radical manifesto to awaken the Christian political imagination, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in Jesus and the incarnation of the peculiar politic of the church as a people "set apart" from this world. In what can be termed lyrical theology, Jesus for President poetically weaves together words and images to sing (rather than dictate) its message. It is a collaboration of Shane Claiborne's writing and stories, Chris Haw's reflections and research, and Chico Fajardo-Heflin's art and design. Drawing upon the work of biblical theologians, the lessons of church history, and the examples of modern-day saints and ordinary radicals, Jesus for President stirs the imagination of what the Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus instead of Caesar. A fresh look at Christianity and empire, Jesus for President transcends questions of "Should I vote or not?" and "Which candidate?" by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith and allegiance. It's written for those who seek to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the kingdom of God.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherZondervan
- Publication dateMarch 3, 2008
- Dimensions6.05 x 0.85 x 7.95 inches
- ISBN-100310278422
- ISBN-13978-0310278429
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In what can be termed lyrical theology, Jesus for President poetically weaves together words and images to sing (rather than dictate) its message. It is a collaboration of Shane Claiborne's writing and stories, Chris Haw's reflections and research, and Chico Fajardo-Heflin's art and design. Drawing upon the work of biblical theologians, the lessons of church history, and the examples of modern-day saints and ordinary radicals, Jesus for President stirs the imagination of what the Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus instead of Caesar.
A fresh look at Christianity and empire, Jesus for President transcends questions of "Should I vote or not?" and "Which candidate?" by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith and allegiance. It's written for those who seek to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the kingdom of God.
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and bestselling author. Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living “as if Jesus meant the things he said.” Shane is a champion for grace, which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. Now, grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty.
Shane’s books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow Me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs, and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, his classic The Irresistible Revolution, Executing Grace, and Beating Guns. He has been featured in a number of films, including Another World Is Possible and Ordinary Radicals. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Shane speaks over one hundred times a year, nationally and internationally. His work has appeared in Esquire, SPIN, Christianity Today, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, and he has been on everything from Fox News and Al Jazeera to CNN and NPR. He’s given academic lectures at Harvard, Princeton, Liberty, Duke, and Notre Dame.
Shane speaks regularly at denominational gatherings, festivals, and conferences around the globe.
Chris Haw is a husband, father, carpenter, and an assistant professor of theology and religious studies at the University of Scranton. He has published various academic articles on political theology and René Girard’s mimetic theory, and he is coauthor of Jesus for President and author of From Willow Creek to Sacred Heart and Monotheism, Intolerance, and the Path to Pluralistic Politics. He created and directs the University of Scranton Prison Education Program.
Product details
- Publisher : Zondervan; Illustrated edition (March 3, 2008)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0310278422
- ISBN-13 : 978-0310278429
- Item Weight : 1.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.05 x 0.85 x 7.95 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #264,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #270 in Church & State Religious Studies
- #917 in Christian Social Issues (Books)
- #6,863 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)
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About the authors

Shane Claiborne graduated from Eastern University and did graduate work at Princeton Seminary. In 2010, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Eastern. His adventures have taken him from the streets of Calcutta where he worked with Mother Teresa to the wealthy suburbs of Chicago where he served at the influential mega-church Willow Creek. As a peacemaker, his journeys have taken him to some of the most troubled regions of the world–from Rwanda to the West Bank–and he’s been on peace delegations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Together with his friend Tony Campolo, Shane heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of Christians committed to living out the lifestyle prescribed in the Gospels. Shane is also the visionary founder of The Simple Way, an organization in inner city Philadelphia that has helped birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He is married to Katie Jo, a North Carolina girl who also fell in love with the city (and with Shane). They were wed in St. Edwards church, the formerly abandoned cathedral into which homeless families relocated in 1995, launching the beginning of The Simple Way community and a new phase of faith-based justice making.
Shane writes and travels extensively speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus. Shane’s books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers – and his classic The Irresistible Revolution. Shane's newest book is Executing Grace (June 2016).
Shane has been featured in a number of films, including Another World Is Possible and The Ordinary Radicals. His books are translated into more than a dozen languages. Shane speaks over 100 times a year, nationally and internationally. His work has been published in Esquire Magazine, SPIN, Christianity Today, and The Wall Street Journal. He has appeared on Fox News, Al Jazeera, CNN, and NPR. You can follow Shane on Twitter (@shaneclaiborne), Facebook (ShaneClaiborne), and www.redletterchristians.org.

Chris Haw is assistant professor of theology and religious studies at the University of Scranton, a speaker, and an author.
His books are Jesus for President (2008 w/ Shane Claiborne), From Willow Creek to Sacred Heart (2012), and Monotheism, Intolerance, and the Path to Pluralistic Politics, with Cambridge University Press (2021).
Besides having cultivated the arts of carpentry, fathering, and husband-ing, Chris earned his PhD in theology and peace studies at the University of Notre Dame. He researches and teaches on how human evolution, violence, scapegoating, Christianity, politics, and culture work--or don't. His teaching on Christianity often centers upon its intersection with racism, militarism, materialism, and the ecological crisis.
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Jesus for President is not your average political book. It is an artistic experience. The book includes drawings, photos, stories, quotations, and scribbles in the margins that make it visually exciting. Shane Claiborne's writing typically deals with pretty weighty subjects, and while he does so with great insight and intelligence, Claiborne's writing is also gentle, humorous, and entertaining.
One of the first pictures in the book shows a flagpole flying both an American and Christian flag; the American flag above the Christian flag. The tension created in this common display is the essence of Jesus for President. To what is our highest allegiance, the Kingdom of God and the principles of Jesus or the pragmatism of American ideals?
Claiborne and Haw do not share the traditional ideas of religious conservatives. On the surface their ideology seems rather liberal, but as you dig into the book you find a radical way of applying Biblical principles to both personal and societal decision making. This is not a system of belief that fits comfortably into any political philosophy or political party. Jesus for President proposes a new way, demanding that we examine social and political issues with creativity rather than simply selecting from the options offered by the current system.
Over the past 30 years there have been numerous books about the relationship between the church and politics. I believe that Jesus for President is one that is more true to the heart of Jesus than most. Even if you are not a politically minded person, you will find this book to be challenging and enjoyable.
jasonwiedel.com
I thought I knew it all before picking up this book. I've studied the Scriptures, taken Christian History courses, kept up on my news. But this book was surprisingly thoughtful, going deep into details that I hadn't noticed, with a slightly different perspective than the way I've always been told the stories, and I appreciated it immensely.
Sure, I may have 1% to 3% that I don't quite agree with - that is, the interpretation of Biblical and modern-day events, but that is nothing compared to the benefit of the absolutely profound truths and insights the authors have given us.
Warning: this book will challenge anyone who enjoys blindly supporting one political party or military endeavor. It cuts through our nationalistic sentiments and offers the true challenge of which Kingdom we are living in and supporting. One must take precedence over the other. If one chooses to be under God's Kingdom, well, then there's going to be a lot of ramifications for how we live in this political realm.
I have walked away from this book utterly moved and unsure what to do next. I am still mulling over the thoughts, and sharing new insights with pretty much anyone I talk to. I highly recommend this book, and wish more thoughtful followers of Jesus would read it, especially in America.
I think if the Church collectively started to actually live this out in America, the whole world would be a significantly better place. At least we can start with ourselves individually.
From page 334 of Jesus for President, "The distinctly kingdom question is not about how we should vote but about how we should live... Who are the Masters and Caesars that we pledge allegiance to by the way we live and through the things we put our trust in? We vote everyday with our feet, our hands, our lips, and our wallets."
This book will make liberals and conservatives uncomfortable. The author(s), by espousing the teachings of Jesus Christ, question ideologies and challenge the very systems that impose them. "Jesus for President" does not instruct or inform your conscience on how to vote, it challenges your consciousness to "flesh out" the Beatitudes and embrace what Jesus showed us was important.
After reading "Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals" I feel a bit like Neo from "The Matrix" The Matrix . I have swallowed the red pill, and I am no longer in Wonderland. The program of "Empire" has crashed and I am getting free of it's entanglements. I am also seeing, for the first time, the sinister nature of the "Empire."
I really enjoyed this book. I hope you will too. Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.








