Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T21:20:14.237Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Sharing the Good News

Integral Communication and Christian Theology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 November 2024

Russell P. Johnson
Affiliation:
University of Chicago
Get access

Summary

Normatively speaking, Christianity involves a rejection of “us versus them” ways of thinking and speaking. Christian political advocacy must thereby testify to the reconciliation of all people. It would be ironic, even self-defeating, to advocate for Christian commitments in ways that reify divisions between people or deny opponents’ human dignity. But Christians can still make prophetic and incisive criticisms, take controversial stands, and employ rigorous argumentation. Drawing upon the work of Desmond Tutu and J. Deotis Roberts, I argue that Christian witness always proceeds as “good news.” Good news is not only the content but the form of Christian proclamation. Christian speech disrupts systems of injustice and dehumanizing myths, while simultaneously expressing the truth that every person – even those who are currently oppressors – is a beloved child of God. This conclusion can help Christians engage in political, ethical, and cultural conflicts in ways that are simultaneously more persuasive and more faithful to their convictions.

Type
Chapter
Information
Beyond Civility in Social Conflict
Dialogue, Critique, and Religious Ethics
, pp. 278 - 324
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Sharing the Good News
  • Russell P. Johnson, University of Chicago
  • Book: Beyond Civility in Social Conflict
  • Online publication: 08 November 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009427227.007
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Sharing the Good News
  • Russell P. Johnson, University of Chicago
  • Book: Beyond Civility in Social Conflict
  • Online publication: 08 November 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009427227.007
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Sharing the Good News
  • Russell P. Johnson, University of Chicago
  • Book: Beyond Civility in Social Conflict
  • Online publication: 08 November 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009427227.007
Available formats
×