10 (More!) Reasons You Should Assign "Our God Loves Justice" in Your Class

That's right, gentle readers, it's the post that you've all been waiting for! Now, I grant that you might not have known that you were waiting for this post. But ever since my original post on 10 Reasons You Should Assign Our God Loves Justice in Your Class, I know that your deep subconscious has been tormented by the question: WILL HE GIVE US 10 MORE REASONS?!?!?!

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you had nightmares in which you were tormented by a desire, or a fear, or an existential threat that lurked just out of your vision and stalked you in the proverbial night. And, of course, then came the post where you learned that there is a Free Study Guide for Our God Loves Justice. How you were able to stand the suspense, the interminable waiting in uncertainly, I'll never know. But you did!

I'm here with good news in answer to your inquiry of ultimate concern: YES, YES HE (I mean, I *ahem*) WILL!!!

And here it is!


Like I said in the first post, I think Gollwitzer has something important to say to those of us who come from the white Protestant theological tradition but have questions concerning how that tradition has become so nakedly aligned with political figures and policies of--let us say--questionable Christlike-ness. And I think students especially need all the examples of thinkers to who found alternative ways to articulate that theological tradition, highlighting its liberative potential. Gollwitzer is just such a figure. That's why I've been doing my best to bring this volume to the attention of my professorial colleagues during this time of year when the thoughts of faculty turn to what they will be teaching in the upcoming Fall semester, because such thoughts necessarily include reflection on what books to require in their classes.

Why not assign Our God Loves Justice: An Introduction to Helmut Gollwitzer (Fortress) (#OGLJ)?

Here are 10 (more) reasons why you should do precisely that, in nice, compact, easily tweetable form. And you should feel free to help tweet them! And don't forget, if you *do* assign it, you can get a free desk copy (just click this link).


10 (More!) Reasons You Should Assign Our God Loves Justice in Your Class

  1. Because your students need to hear that Christians must be socialists (and understand exactly how that “must” works).

  2. Because it “is both deeply relevant and highly provocative, posing a theological and political challenge that will encourage and unsettle in equal measure.” (Paul T. Nimmo, University of Aberdeen)

  3. Because anyone who goes from being a messenger boy in the Nazi SA to being an anti-Nazi resister in the Confessing Church is definitely worth learning (and teaching!) about.

  4. Because there aren’t many other theologians who hung out with leftist terrorists and student revolutionaries.

  5. Because your students will appreciate the footnotes on things like Katy Perry and Captain America.

  6. Because your students need to know that political democracy is impossible without material democracy.

  7. Because Chuck Norris has nothing on Gollwitzer (anti-Nazi church resister, survived World War 2 as a medic, survived 5 years as a POW in Russia, etc.; his bio is in chapter 2).

  8. Because you want your students to understand that revolutionary violence is always counterviolence.

  9. Because let’s be honest, there are few things in life that are better than getting a free book about Christian socialism. (click here to request your desk copy: http://fortresspress.com/desk-copy-request?&nid=8546)

  10. Because it “asks whether we have in fact registered the revolutionary power of justifying grace and the advent of the Kingdom of God in our world of continuing alienation, exploitation, and violence.” (Philip G. Ziegler, University of Aberdeen)

And we might as well recap the bonus reason as well!
  • Because you’ve been looking for a good excuse to ask Travis McMaken to Skype into your class (hint--he totally will; super extra secret hint--he might bring David Congdon with him).



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