6 Books To Quarantine By,

Part 1: Christianity & Politics

The various Covid-19 quarantines took most people by surprise. During that time, I’ve received numerous requests for reading suggestions. There are so many books to recommend, and if you’ve subscribed to the podcast, you get plenty of suggestions. In this series of articles, we’ve narrowed it down to a handful in very specific categories.

So here are 6 book recommendations, in no particular order, by AnarchoChristian for Christianity and Politics, or Christian Anarchism:

6. The Myth of the Christian Nation by Greg Boyd

The Myth of the Christian Nation is one of the best contemporary books on this subject. Boyd covers a wide range of issues, from biblical and social examples of a Christian, to that of the state. Along the way, we also get insightful commentaries on Church and, as the title and cover suggests, United States history.

Memorable quote: “In fact, far from aligning any version of the kingdom of the world with the kingdom of God, kingdom-of-God participants must retain a healthy suspicion toward every version of the kingdom of the world – especially their own (for here it is the most tempting to become idolatrous).”

Purchase:

5. A Christian Manifesto by Francis Schaeffer

Francis Schaeffer was a prominent name in the Church concerning political and social issues during the 1970s and 1980s. It always seems weird associating his name with Anarchism, but this book is a great commentary on the rejection of state tyranny, and thoughtful reasoning on civil disobedience from that era.

Memorable quote: “If there is no place for civil disobedience, then the government has been made autonomous, and as such, it has been put in the place of the living God.”

Purchase:

Related AnarchoChristian articles or Podcast episode:
Podcast Episode – Statism 
Article – How Should We Then Disobey

4. Anarchy and Christianity by Jacques Ellul

I like to say that Ellul literally wrote the book  on Anarchy and Christianity. This relatively short book explores Ellul’s take, while also addressing economics and theology. Admittedly, it is a different position than that of AnarchoChristian, on both accounts, but the book stands as a great read for its honesty and historical relevance.

Memorable quote: “I have never understood how the religion whose heart is that God is love and that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves can give rise to wars that are absolutely unjustifiable and unacceptable relative to the revelation of Jesus.” 

Purchase:

Related AnarchoChristian article:
In God We Trust

3. Jesus Untangled by Keith Giles

Jesus Untangled is the most recently published book on the list. Giles takes a phenomenal approach to the political fervor of the last few years by addressing the political rhetoric that pops up every election season, as well as destroying every nationalistic narrative we’ve been indoctrinated with over the last hundred or so years.

Memorable quote: “What if the greatest threat to Christianity in America was American Christianity?”

Purchase:

Related AnarchoChristian Podcast episode:
Jesus Untangled – 3 Years Later 

2. Civil Government by David Lipscomb

If you’ve followed AnarchoChristian for any length of time, you’ve heard this book recommended. Lipscomb thoroughly walks us from the Old Testament into the New, addressing all of the Biblical implications for human government, as well as the overt passages. Not to mention, he includes a well researched presentation of many early church voices dealing directly with the governments of their time, and reconciling it to scripture.

Memorable quote: “All the wars and conflicts of earth, all the desolation, ruin and blood-shed, between separated nations, or distinct peoples, are the fruits of human government.”

Purchase:

Free PDF – http://icotb.org/resources/Civil_Government.PDF

Related AnarchoChristianPodcast episode: –
Romans 13 and David Lipscomb’s Civil Government

1. The Kingdom of God is within You by Leo Tolstoy

Typically the number one suggestion in this category, The Kingdom of God is Within You is the oldest entry for out list. Written in the late 1800s, Tolstoy gives a passionate rejection of state violence, as well as valuable historical insight from that time. Already established in the literary world, Tolstoy had already started publishing works about his faith, and includes his correspondence with people all over the world. History, war, retaliation, and peace are the  primary focus, and are shown to be truly timeless issues, as you read an incredible amount of significance to todays issues.

Memorable quote: “And therefore the Christian, who is subject only to the inner divine law, not only cannot carry out the enactments of the external law, when they are not in agreement with the divine law of love which he acknowledges (as is usually the case with state obligations), he cannot even recognize the duty of obedience to anyone or anything whatever, he cannot recognize the duty of what is called allegiance.”

Purchase:

Free resources – http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43302 

Related AnarchoChristian articles:
A brief summary of Leo Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You, Chapter 5
Soldiers, Suicide, and Tolstoy

Have you read any of these? Have you read all of them? Do you recommend any other titles for the category of Christianity and Politics, or Christian Anarchism?