In The Awakening Miller explores Jesus’ political engagement. “He didn’t claim to care about people’s souls or spiritual lives while actively ignoring the conditions and lived experiences that directly impacted the health of their souls. Wholistic health and healing isn’t spiritual, it is wholistic, and western Christianity, in contrast to Jesus, has become a master of isolated soul care while neglecting the body and the mind. The latter two are deemed ‘too political’ because they are connected to racist, classist, patriarchal, ableist, and heteronormative structures that many of us benefit from.
Jesus wasn’t ignorant of the culture he lived in in order to focus on saving souls. He was deeply critical of it and insisted that justice is at the center of the gospel. He knew the oppression happening in his community and invited his disciples to recognize their environment, ask questions about it, and respond to create a different world.
So yeah, Jesus was woke….”
I thought this was a great Advent challenge and inspiration.