Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne

I picked this up because I kept reading about it from some friends on Facebook. I'm glad I did. This book will stretch you if you allow it. If you can get past your patriotic identity, this book will challenge you to rethink your place as a follower in Christ in The United States (or whatever country you live in).

I did not like Claiborne's first book, The Irresistible Revolution. I felt like he was preaching to me how great a Christian he was compared to how poor a Christian I was because I didn't do the kind of things he did.

But Jesus for President is a different kind of monster. I just read Rob Bell's newest book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians and the two are very similar. The major difference is Claiborne is in your face and won't let your cheeks go.

The authors begin with the Hebrew Scriptures (The Old Testament) and explain how God wanted His people to live. Then how the people of God decided they had enough experience of God as King and wanted their own human king to rule their land.

Big mistake.

The second third of the book takes us to task for our allegiance to The American war machine, economic choices, and living patterns.

My favorite part is when we're asked how can we worship Jesus as Son of God and follow a President? One says to love our enemies while the other says to kill our enemies.

I shared just a little tiny bit with some friends and they were up in arms against what this guy was teaching. Like many American Christians, they believe in the idea of a Just War. Claiborne would say, as followers of Christ we need an alternative to killing. Any form of killing.

But that's just the beginning of this book. There is no much depth and "meat" to digest that you will have to go out and get it. You will find it exceptional. Even if you disagree, you'll love the debate you'll have with yourself.

Jesus for President a new kind of way of looking at politics.