In the Midst of the City: The Gospel and God's Politics

by Barkley S Thompson

In the Midst of the City makes an elegant, profound connection between religion and politics. Thompson argues that Christian faith and politics are inseparable, and though the Gospel is inherently political, it is not partisan. To embody God's politics, we must first steep ourselves in God's vision for the world embodied in the Gospels, and only then can we act politically. This collection of essays and sermons addresses hot-button social issues of recent years by putting this principle into practice, challenging the reader to live God's politics and to be the vanguard of God's kingdom in the world.

Genres: Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2018

Reviews

[Sammy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my first reading of this, I was looking for answers. This time around, I read it for what it is: sermons meant to inspire and provoke thought. Having gotten to know Barkley as my priest, I enjoyed the book much more this time around. The sermons touch on many contemporary topics (most of them hot-button issues) and look at them through the lens of the Gospel while trying to combat partisanship.
The opinion pieces at the end don't quite gel with the sermons, but it is interesting to see his writing for a wider, secular audience.