Scot McKnight

Summary: In reaction to the embrace by American Christians of “humane” approaches to war and Christian nationalism, calls for an imaginative and improvisational approach to living out the Bible’s vision of a peaceful world.

This book reflects a response of Scot McKnight both to the rise of an aggressive Christian nationalism and an embrace of “humane” approaches to war through high tech precision weaponry. His concern is the embrace by American Christians, of ideas approving war both upon culture and our enemies abroad, justified by saving America for God. But where does the idea of the Bible not being enough come in? He argues that if instead we are to be people following the Prince of Peace, we need a new beginning that our political founding documents can’t offer. He writes:

“The Bible offers some raw materials of a new beginning. But the Bible itself has been become [sic] another tool of the ‘humane.’ The audaciousness of the Bible has been tamed–tamed and then co-opted. All too often the Bible is weighed against itself, allowing extreme to mitigate extreme, sometimes even pushing the other end off the stage. But that is not how the Bible worked or works. The Bible did so because the times called for it. The Bible imagines a peaceful world and then insists upon improvisation to realize that peace” (pp. 5-6).

McKnight then proceeds to assert that peace is fundamental to the Christian’s calling. God has made peace with us through Christ and made peace possible between opposing peoples through Christ, breaking down every human division. Peace shapes the vision of Christians for their lives in the world, calling forth imagination of new possibilities where peace has been absent. Peace calls us to improvise beyond the text of scripture to realize that vision in present day society. The remaining four chapters unpack McKnight’s thoughts of the shape of this imaginative improvisation on the Bible.

First of all, he invites us to a prophetic Imagination. He elaborates the peaceful vision the prophets proclaimed describing the coming of God’s kingdom rule, longed for by Israel in exile, and later under Rome. The coming of Jesus represented a turning point where an imagined future becomes kingdom imagination. In Jesus, kingdom has come. But what kind of kingdom? It is one that precludes war in a call of discipleship lived for others, manifested in the righteousness of the Sermon on the Mount, wholehearted love for God, neighbors, and even enemies, and the cruciform life, a denial of self and sacrificiality for others.

The kingdom imagination is an improvisational imagination. McKnight notes how the law of scripture shows marks of improvisation from wilderness to settlement and kingship to the ministry of Jesus and the life of the church. He addresses divorce law, for example and the laxity that often affected women adversely, the high standard uttered by Jesus, with the Matthean addition and Paul’s further exception. Thus African-American Christians improvised in envisioning their own liberation and so we might improvise in the pursuit of peace, presumably even against structures and ideas rooted in some formulation of biblical law (for example, the use of “just” or “humane” means in war). Finally, this improvisation arises from a peaceful imagination. It is an imagination that refuses to kill either Christian or non-Christian for the sake of the state, that takes up only the sword of enemy love, that imitates Christ in the way of peacemaking as a person of peace in every sphere.

There is much that is compelling in what McKnight writes. The central idea of Jesus as the king of peace and what it means to be a person of peace as one of his followers is a defining character of what it means to call oneself Christian. This is how Christ’s kingdom works and grows. Justifying war or embracing culture war runs against all this. I found myself struggling at two points:

One was, how far are we to be engaged in bringing in the peaceable kingdom? And how much awaits the return of Christ? Sometimes, it seems that McKnight was simply urging us to seek peace and pursue it to whatever extent we can, employing peaceful imagination (and I would argue that this may accomplish far more than we expect). At times, it felt he was suggesting nations act this way. It felt like he was trying to replace Christian nationalism with a Christianized state. Can the ethic of Christians and that of states in a fallen world be the same? If states are ordained to restrain evil by both punishing law-breakers and providing for defense from aggressors, can those who lead and enact these functions abdicate their responsibilities? And must Christians refuse any position, civil or military, where force must be ordered or exercised? I think McKnight would say yes. But this leaves others to do the “dirty work.” I would have liked for McKnight to have addressed these questions.

I also wonder about his improvisational approach to the Bible. How would he differentiate his improvisational approach to the Bible from that of Christian nationalists? I think this language is actually not helpful. The Bible, rightly handled, is enough to persuade me that the call of Christians is a call to peace, to shalom. McKnight makes that point for me by pointing to biblical texts, not by improvisation. Applying those texts in daily life certainly does take a biblically informed imagination but I think the language of improvisation, of the Bible not being enough, is reckless, and might open doors McKnight and I would rather see remain closed.

What McKnight challenges is our love of war and neglect of peace. If we are serious about Jesus, McKnight asks to what is our imagination devoted–to peace or to war, to defeating our enemies or loving them, to making one nation great, or proclaiming the Prince of Peace to the nations? And I would propose that the Bible is enough to answer that question.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.… (altro)

"Reading Romans Backwards" by Scot McKnight serves as a blueprint for a lived theology of Christoformity: being loved by God and loving God. As the title suggests, McKnight proposes that the traditional reading of Romans from beginning to end might not be the most effective way to grasp its message. His thesis is that starting from the conclusion and working back to the beginning allows readers to appreciate the overarching themes and arguments of the letter. Beginning at the end, with the practical implications of Paul's theology, readers can better understand the context and purpose of his teachings comprising the earlier passages. Using his deep knowledge of biblical scholarship, McKnight encourages readers to engage with the text in a more critical and nuanced manner. It’s lived theology, pure and simple. "Reading Romans Backwards" offers valuable insights into one of the most significant and complex texts in the New Testament and its relevance for contemporary Christian life.… (altro)

Excellent resource for challenging you to be more intentional when reading the Bible. It helps you understand what you're supposed to be doing when you read, what you're supposed to bring to and take from your reading.

Also an excellent discussion about women in leadership in the church.

Only criticism: those willing to pick up this book are probably already willing to accept its thesis; those who need to hear this thesis probably won't be interested in this sort of book (ie, it preaches to the choir -- though the choir does still need to hear this sermon!)… (altro)

ACTS, New Testament Everyday Bible Study by Scot McKnight.
A daily read, or every few days, of reading Acts of the Bible. At the end of each chapter, there is a comment about the verse, suggested further readings, and "Questions for Reflection and Application". A book for a reader's group or for an individual.
I won a complimentary copy from Goodreads. I want to thank the author and publisher, Harper Christian Resources. The opinions are my own.
A 5 star rating. A book to keep on a table near you.

CONTENTS:
General Introduction to the Series...ix
ACTS
Introduction: Reading the Book of Acts
The Mission of Jesus'/ Acts 1:1-14
Missioners in Jesus' Mission/ Acts 1:15-26
The Spirit of the Mission/ Acts 2:1-13
The Gospel of the Mission/ Acts 2:14-41
The Response to the Mission/ Acts 2:42-47
Audience-Sensitive Mission/ Acts 3;1-26
Courage in the Mission/ Acts 4:1-22
Prayers in the Mission/ Acts 4:23-31
Generosity Marks the Mission/ Acts 4:32-5:11
Ups and Downs of Mission/ Acts 5:12-42
Ethnic-Sensitivity in the Mission/ Acts 6:1-7
Martyr for the Mission/ Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-8:3
The Unexpected in the Mission/ Acts 8:4-40
Conversion in the Mission/ Acts 9:1-19
Questions about Converts in the Mission/ Acts 9:19b-31
Ministering like Jesus in the Mission/ Acts 9:32-43
God's Timing in the Mission/ Acts 10:1-23a
Gentiles in the Mission/ Acts 10:23b-11:18
Fellowship in the Mission/ Acts11:19-30
Powers Defeated in the Mission/ Acts 12:1-25
Patterns in the Mission/ Acts 12:25-14:28
Unity in the Mission/ Acts 15:1-35
People in the Mission/ Acts 15:36-16:10
Household Conversions in the Mission/ Acts 16:11-40
Launching the Mission/ Acts 17:1-34
God's Episodes in the Mission/ Acts 18:1-23
The Hub of the Mission/ Acts 18:24-19:41
Travel in the Mission/ Acts 19:1, 21-22; 20:1-16
Witness in the Mission/ Acts 20:17-38
Determination in the Mission/ Acts 21:1-16
Acts in the Mission/ Acts 21:17-36
Witnessing to the Authorites in the Mission/ Acts 21:37-22:29
Apologies and Provocations in the Mission/ Acts 22:30-23:11
Plots and Escapes in the Mission/ Acts 23:12-35
In Court Before Roman Power in Mission/ Acts 24:1-25:12
In Court Before Roman Power in Mission/ Acts 25:13-26:32
Promptings in the Mission/ Acts 27:1-28:13
Mission Accomplished in the Mission/ Acts 28:14-31… (altro)