An important work highlighting the theological foundation of social action.
Christ himself lived in a time of immense social and political turmoil, as did his early followers. But can those early struggles provide guidance for God's faithful in today's divided world? Episcopal priest and peace advocate Michael W. Hopkins proves that they can, tracing the origins of Christian responsibility all the way back to the indissoluble bond of baptism, drawing a clear line between those fraught early days and the turbulent present that Jesus commands Christians to engage in.
Called to Act peels back the historical and scriptural underpinnings of Christianity to exhume the social obligations inherited by all members of the kingdom of God. Through interpretation of Jesus' words, works, and sacraments, modern day Christians can begin to reframe their fundamental outlook on and participation in the world, working as one to build communities of mutual care. Rather than allow differences of opinion or misguided attempts at neutrality to divorce Christians from the necessary work of political and community engagement, Hopkins provides compelling scriptural evidence for a new kingdom, united not by what has been left undone, but by what Christians are called to do for each other.
"The theological foundations of social action Christ himself lived in a time of immense social and political turmoil, as did his early followers. But can those early struggles provide guidance for God's faithful in our own divided time? Episcopal priest and peace advocate Michael W. Hopkins proves that they can, tracing the origins of Christian responsibility all the way back to the indissoluble bond of baptism, drawing a clear line between those fraught early days and the turbulent present that Jesus commands us to engage in. With nuance and grace, Called to Act peels back the historical and scriptural underpinnings of Christianity to exhume the social obligations inherited by all members of the kingdom of God. Through interpretation of Jesus' words, works, and sacraments, modern day Christians can begin to reframe our fundamental outlook on and participation in the world around us, working as one to build communities of mutual care. Rather than allow differences of opinion or misguided attempts at neutrality to divorce us from the necessary work of political and community engagement, Hopkins provides compelling scriptural evidence for a new kingdom, united not by what we have left undone, but by what we are called to do for each other"--
