Just Jesus: My Struggle to Become Human

by Walter Wink

   Until his death in 2012, Walter Wink was one of the most influential Christian intellectuals of our time. He was a pastor and theologian, a political activist and a writer. He first becme a practitioner of active nonviolence during the Civil Rights Movement in Selma Alabama, and continued to seek social justice for all under dictatorships in Chile and the apartheid in South Africa. Always through the lens of Jesus, Wink's life and work demonstrate just how important the need to understand "the Son of the Man" is in today's modern world.
   Wink shows us that inspiration and insight can come from any a Pentecostal Church in Oklahoma, dreams, Buddhist meditation centers, childhood traumas, an empty forest, illness, and the Gospels. Wink's work in social justice and his life as a theologian are inextricably entwined, finding evidence for nonviolent resistance in the Bible and seeing the need for Jesus in daily struggles.
   "An autobiography of my interest in Jesus, perhaps that is too ambitious," writes Wink. "What I have done here is far less grand. I have simply written down vignettes, or excerpts of my life's story that I find interesting. These autobiographical reflections are in no way exceptional. Everyone has a life story. My story may, at the very least, show why I theologically think the way that I do."
    Just Jesus is the jubilant autobiography of the man who sought justice in all walks of life, including his own.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Theology, Spirituality, Christian

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

Dr. Walter Wink was Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. Previously, he was a parish minister and taught at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1989-1990 he was a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace.

His newer works include:

The Human Being: Jesus and the Enigma of the Son of the Man
(Fortress Press, 2001.)

Peace Is The Way: Writings on Nonviolence from the Fellowship of Reconciliation. (Edited by Walter Wink. Orbis Books, 2000.)

The Powers That Be:Theology for a New Millennium
(New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Homosexuality and Christian Faith: Questions of Conscience for the Churches (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999)

He is author of a trilogy, The Powers:

Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984)

Unmasking the Powers: The Invisible Forces That Determine Human Existence (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986)

Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of
Domination (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992)

His other works include:

When the Powers Fall: Reconciliation in the Healing of Nations
(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998). Swedish edition: Healing a Nation's Wounds: Reconciliation on the Road to Democracy (Uppsala, Sweden: Life and Peace Institute, 1997)

Cracking the Gnostic Code: The Powers in Gnosticism (Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1993)

Violence and Nonviolence in South Africa (Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1987). (Out of print)

Transforming Bible Study, second edition (Nashville: Abingdon, 1990) (Out of print)

The Bible in Human Transformation (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1973). (Out of print)

John the Baptist in the Gospel Tradition (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1968). (Out of print)

Proclamation 5: Holy Week, Year B (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993). (Out of print)

Reviews

[M Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Just Jesus" is billed as Walter Wink's memoir but that is an uncomfortable designation in many ways. Wink wrote and compiled this book when he was struggling with the disease which would eventually kill him. Dementia was a side-effect and his widow, June Keener Wink, writes that as the disease progressed, he was less and less able to write. The resulting volume is more a series of very short articles (most are one to two pages in a generous font) than memoir in a conventional sense. Also included are reprints of articles from Wink's theological oeuvre, particularly on non-violence.

On the other hand, the reader gets a good sense of Wink's journey from conservative young believer to leader of the global non-violent resistance movement and groundbreaking theologian. The book is well-used as an occasional devotional reader, as I read it. The short chapters are weighty for all their brevity.

I do hope that someone will write a true biography of this remarkable Christian leader soon. To my mind, he is one of the most important American theologians of the late 20th century.

[Kari]

Walter Wink called this book “an autobiography of [his] interest in Jesus,” which is a lovely turn of phrase. It’s a bit disjointed in the middle, but there are some beautiful things in here about Jesus and the Bible and nonviolence. The overall arc is a discussion of the humanity of Jesus and how that is reflected in our own lives. I have never read anything by Walter Wink, but I recognized his name and some of his ideas and he seems to have had an extraordinary life (he died in 2012 after dealing with complications from dementia). Most of all, this book is a reflection on how he combined his love of Jesus and his love of the Bible in practical ways. It can be tricky to write about nonviolent resistance as a person of privilege, so I appreciated his humility and willingness to participate as others led the way. I’d like to read his book on nonviolence now that I finished this one. Recommended for: people who would like an intro to Walter Wink, people who want to read something with short chapters, people whose opinions about Jesus have changed over time.

[Rick Dugan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a memoir as much as a collection of short reflections on his life and beliefs. He wrote this because "My story may, at the very least, show why I theologically think the way that I do." Wink believed that a person's autobiography would shed light on their theology. I'm not sure that this book explains his theology as much as his theology explains why he prioritized what he did.

As an evangelical, there's much I disagree with in regard to Wink's liberal theology, but I did find his insights into "the son of man" food for thought.

Wink is credited with coining the phrase "the myth of redemptive violence." He also wrote extensively about principalities and powers, which he called the "Domination System." While his writings on both of these are insightful and helpful, his solution is to imitate the methods of Jesus. But methods alone won't fix what is wrong. Perhaps this is why I didn't sense much hope in this book.

[Jacqueline Bussie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful memoir written by the pacifist, theologian and activist Walter Wink. “Each breath we breathe contains a quadrillion atoms, writes Guy Murchie, and more than 1 million of these atoms have been breathed personally sometime by each and every person on earth. We are all one breath.“

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir told more as a collection of stand-alone essays and stories in roughly chronological order. I've heard Wink referenced in a number of places, but I hadn't read any of his own work yet. This was a good introduction to his life and thinking.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars. Reflections and memories of a man who earnestly tried to bring his vision of Jesus into his own life and into the world.

[Jennifer Clausen-greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely memoir type of book that was deep, thoughtful and inspiring. Walter tests you to go beyond what you feel you know about the word of God and really dig into the rich history that is present and how that really relates to current social issues such as slavery, homosexuality, sexism and the like. I had never heard of Walter Wink before so it was really interesting to read about his was mostly intrigued by the nonviolent activism, involvement in the civil rights movement and his humility while seeking Jesus in his daily life. There were parts of this book that were too theologically deep for me to really grasp, but for the most part it flowed without loosing me. The one thing that I thought was missing from this book was a "Contents" section to let the reader know what to expect. The way the book is wrote give you this nice homey feel to it. It presents itself more like a typical conversation you might hold talking about a topic of interest-Jesus, then a memoir.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Water Brook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon picking up Just Jesus and beginning to read, I felt like I had been invited to sit down to dinner with Walter Wink and listen to him recount stories from his lifetime. A memoir, of sorts, told through short vignettes. I began reading and felt a sort of comfort and nostalgia, as I might sit, listening intently to stories of yesteryear shared by my grandparents. Just sitting, taking it all in, and soaking up bits of wisdom.
Before reading Just Jesus: My Struggle to Become Human, I knew nothing about Walter Wink. I was mostly intrigued by the author’s nonviolent activism, involvement in the civil rights movement, and his experiences in Latin America and South Africa. Would he share anything of his theology of nonviolence? Would he recount stories from his involvement in civil rights?
...See the rest of my review here.
Rating 7/10

I received this book free from Water Brook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Dave McNeely]

There are two important things to know about Walter Wink's final, posthumously published, book: 1) It is not an exhaustive, detailed autobiography, so you will be disappointed if that is what you are hoping for; 2) Alternatively, it is a somewhat loose collection of anecdotes penned by Wink recalling significant reflections and events throughout his life and reflecting more stream-of-thought than most editors would probably wish. If you are looking for unfiltered and anecdotal Wink, you will be pleased. (Note: The piecemeal nature of this work was due to necessity, brought on by Wink's dementia in later years. Nevertheless, he pressed on to produce what he did, and his widow, June Keener Wink, and colleague, Steven Berry, did their best to preserve Wink's own words.)

[K. Osborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small, but mighty book written by a man unafraid to ask the hard questions…of himself and society around him. Walter Wink writes what he claims is not an autobiography, but just “vignettes, or exerpts of my life’s story that I find interesting.”

Admittedly, a lot of this book was wayyy over my head. I am no theologian, nor am I a philosopher and much of these stories were ramblings which required understanding both. But I drew enough from his words to appreciate his humanity, his love of the Lord, and that “the norm” is not always what God has in mind!

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book slowly because I wanted to savor it. I did. I feel as if I got to know Walter and June better. I am sure I will return to parts of this books again and again. I deeply understand his commitment to non-violence. I sometimes find it difficult to bring words to this commitment, he helped to me a give a voice. I fully intend to look at other works. I seek recommendations.

[Bill]

A collection of little vignettes whereby Walter Wink recounts a life trying to understand Jesus in a contemporary sense and live out his radical vision of social justice and non violence. Wink is one of the foremost progressive voices in Christianity and this little book, although disjointed at times, delivers a taste of his intellectual and political power. 3.45 Martinie glasses

[librarian4Him02]

I tried to keep going with this book, but it was too disjointed for me. I couldn't follow his thoughts, so I decided this particular book isn't for me and have moved on.

[Kenny Gooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic memoir. Unique in format, rich in content. A lovely bled of theological depth, fresh thought, and winsome storytelling. Read it.

[Larry Koester · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seems a gentile soul. Sounds like he did good in life. But seems more like a Buddhist than a Christian. The book was infinitesimally helpful to me as a Christian.

[Tony Parsons]

wow what a remarkable person
luv 2 win/read/review/rate this book