From the manger to the cross, Jesus announced the ultimate subversion of power---the last will be first, the first will be last; the mighty will be cast from their thrones, and the lowly will be lifted up. This book is about that Jesus---the holy troublemaker, the revolutionary Messiah. Craig dares you to join Jesus in the trenches and to reorient your life around the upside-down kingdom of God. What you have here is nothing short of an invitation to join the revolution of the subversive Savior who was born a refugee in the manger and executed as a rebel on the cross. * -Shane Claiborne, author, Irresistible Revolution and Executing Grace *
It's time to embrace a grown-up picture of Jesus. For many of us, the Sunday school picture of passive Jesus needs to be retired. So does the adolescent picture of my private personal Jesus. It is time to meet subversive Jesus, the Jesus who draws the ire of the elite by standing with and drawing attention to those who have been cast to the margins of empire. Craig introduces us to the Christ of the Scriptures, whose words and actions bring a corrective to the Darwinian society we have become. This book challenges us to love the prophets more than we love the profits and to hear with new ears how Jesus subverts the status quo of empire. * -Scott Bessenecker, associate director of missions, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship *
After a lifetime of living among and working alongside some of the poorest people in the world, Craig knows a thing or two about the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God. Subversive Jesus comes riding a donkey, carrying a towel, welcoming children, feeding the hungry, and serving the least. And Craig knows him---really knows him. * -Michael Frost, author, Jesus the Fool *
This book is a wonderful example of the more honest reading and following of Jesus that is invading all of our churches today. It seems many have come to recognize that the churchified and pious Jesus many of us grew up with had little to do with the man and ministry revealed in the Gospels. * -Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, NM *
Craig is a modern-day St. Francis of Assisi. Whether in one of North America's poorest zip codes or in the slums of Cambodia, Craig preaches the gospel through his life, not just his words. This is Craig's story, but as you read it, you may discover God's new call on your life. User warning: don't read this book unless you want to be challenged and your life changed. Do read it if you want to be inspired to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. * - Ken Shigematsu, pastor, Tenth Church, Vancouver; author, international bestseller God in My Everything *
Craig is a prophet of hope calling for an urgent return to embody the subversive memory of Jesus. Craig writes with a keen eye for the substance behind our religious rhetoric, showing us the way to live and love in a world of wounds. When too many authors write about ideals that we all aim to embody, Craig flips that script and reflects on the gifts of what his embodied ideals have meant in his life, inviting us to join him in bearing witness to hope. * - Christopher L. Heuertz, founding partner of Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism; author, Unexpected Gifts: Discovering the Way of Community *
You will find deep practical wisdom in these pages born of vast, hands-on experience that speaks to the breadth of human life---from what hospitality and child-raising looks like among the homeless to how to challenge injustice on cruise ships. This must-read refreshes and inspires, reintroducing Jesus as the life-giving, subversive, troublemaking friend of sinners that he was and still is. Read and you will want to join Jesus in experiencing on earth as it is in heaven here and now. * - Bob Ekblad, founder/general director, Tierra Nueva and The People's Seminary; author, Reading the Bible with the Damned and A New Christian Manifesto *
