Includes bibliographical references and index.

The kingdom of Jesus in the shadow of empire -- The Church between Jesus and Caesar -- Power and the 'powers' in early Christianity : John, Paul and the paradox of biblical politics -- The kingdom of God as vision and vocation -- The Church between submission and subversion -- The Church resisting the powers of today -- Liberalism and love in a time of fear and fragmentation.

"How should a Christian engage with politics? Some encourage political activism while others advocate withdrawal, but the answer is far from clear. In Christ and the Powers, N.T. Wright and Michael Bird argue that Christians should faithfully and earnestly contribute while vigorously opposing political schemes based on autocracy and nationalism"-- Provided by publisher.

"Should Christians be politically withdrawn, avoiding participation in politics to maintain their prophetic voice and keep from being used as political pawns? Or should Christians be actively involved, seeking to control and utilize political systems to control the levers of power?In Jesus and the Powers, N.T. Wright and Michael Bird argue that Christians should pursue active involvement in ways that encourage and sustain liberal democratic systems while opposing both totalitarianism and nationalism. They argue that Christians should faithfully and earnestly contribute to free democratic societies and vigorously oppose political schemes based on autocracy and nationalism.Wright and Bird outline a Christian approach to political engagement with reflections on their relevance to current events, including the Russian-Ukraine conflict, China-Taiwan tension, political turmoil in the USA, UK, and Australia, as well as to the problem of white Christian nationalism"-- Provided by publisher.