Just Discipleship - by Michael Jemison Rhodes (Paperback)

About the Book

Biblical scholar Michael Rhodes argues that the Bible offers a vision of justice-oriented discipleship that is critical for the formation of God's people. Grounded in biblical theology, virtue ethics, and his own experiences, he shows that justiceis central to the Bible, central to Jesus, and central to authentic Christian discipleship.

Book Synopsis

Christianity Today Book Award Finalist--Politics & Public Life

Many Christians and churches are rediscovering that God cares deeply about justice, but opinions abound as to what an approach to biblical justice might look like in contemporary society. What exactly does the Bible mean by justice, and what does it have to do with poverty, racism, and other issues in our world? More importantly, how do we become the kind of people who practice justice?

Biblical scholar Michael Rhodes argues that the Bible offers a vision of justice-oriented discipleship that is critical for the formation of God's people. Grounded in biblical theology, virtue ethics, and his own experiences, he shows that justice is central to the Bible, central to Jesus, and central to authentic Christian discipleship. Justice stands at the heart of Scripture. Following Jesus demands that we become just disciples in an unjust world.

Review Quotes

"The church today urgently needs to be discipled by the Scripture's vision for justice. Michael Rhodes illuminates passages across the Old and New Testaments to show how the call to justice is central to God's vision for the community of faith. It will challenge pastors, seminary students, and many others to discover a costly but rewarding vocation."

"This timely volume is born out of personal involvement in race relations, grounded in insightful readings of passages across the breadth of Scripture, and concrete in its applications. The topic is discipleship, which Rhodes convincingly defines as the formation of the people of God around the virtue of justice. This is a clarion call to faithfully, wisely, and courageously embody God's justice within the socioeconomic and political realities of life. A necessary and supremely helpful book!

About the Author

Michael J. Rhodes (PhD, Trinity College/University of Aberdeen) is lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aotearoa, New Zealand. He is the author of several books, including Reimagining Biblical Politics, Just Discipleship, Formative Feasting, and Practicing the King's Economy (with Robby Holt and Brian Fikkert). Rhodes is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. After spending 12 years living, working, and worshiping in South Memphis, he and his family are now part of an intentional community committed to Christian community development in South Auckland.