Wes Howard-Brook Book order

Through a study of the writers of the post-New Testament period, this book shows how "Christianity" was forged as "the religion of empire," undermining the New Testament's proclamation of Jesus as upholder of the "religion of creation," two categories laid out in Howard-Brook's earlier volume, "Come Out, My People: God's Call Out of Empire in the Bible and Beyond" (Orbis 2010). Using writers from Alexandria (Clement, Origen, and Athanasius) and North Africa (Tertullian, Cyprian and Augustine) as test cases, Howard-Brook traces how Platonic and Stoic philosophy on the one hand, and Roman imperial culture, on the other, were taken for granted by these writers in creating "Christianity." Using a wide range of recent scholarship, Howard-Brook seeks in this book to separate the anti-imperial, earthly and earthy "Good News" of Jesus from the imperial, anti-creation, misogynist and anti-Jewish "Christianity" that has largely replaced the Gospel.

Focusing on the Gospel of John, this commentary invites readers to embrace a profound commitment to follow Jesus within a vibrant, spirit-filled community. It emphasizes a narrative approach that intertwines historical, ideological, and aesthetic elements, making the text both accessible and relevant for contemporary audiences. The book encourages a deeper understanding of the gospel's themes and invites reflection on the transformative power of faith in today's world.