Name: The Powers that be
ISBN: 9780385487528

Walter Wink

Based on his reading of the Bible and analysis of the world around him, a biblical scholar develops a way of viewing ancient concepts, such as heaven, hell, angels, and demons, in light of modern experience and in a way accessible to all peoples. Reprint.

Theology for a New Millennium

The Powers that be

Jonathan Tysick

On the one hand, this book stimulated thoughts and sparked conversations like few other books I have read. Specifically the chapters on "the myth of redemptive violence" and "Jesus' Third Way" and the topic of nonviolence. 

But on the other hand I greatly disagreed with the two premises the book is built upon. Those being the "integral worldview" (panentheism) and his interpretation of the "powers" as impersonal entities. I also found his doctrine of scripture troubling (he writes off the book of Hebrews as incorrect and believes Paul's understanding of Jesus's death to have been mistaken) as well as his Christology (saying "Jesus was made divine" and that the teachings of Jesus are more important than "the Christ of the creeds").

A fascinating (but unsatisfying) book which I would recommend to mature Christians wrestling with the topic of violence.

The Powers that be Theology for a New Millennium

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