Living under the rule of King Jesus

JESUS AND THE POWERS:
Christian political witness in an age
of totalitarian terror and dysfunctional
democracies
By Tom Wright and Michael F. Bird
SPCK. 185 pages. £12.99
ISBN 973 0 231 090 075

Tom Wright is not everyone’s cup of tea. Yet this book co-authored with Michael Bird, with whom he co-wrote a magnificent New Testament introduction, is a valuable and timely contribution to the literature on how we live in our times.

Both Wright and Bird are distinguished New Testament scholars, both have produced fine commentaries on Romans which enrich their reflections on the decisive 13th chapter. This book was going through its pre-publication process when the attacks on Israel took place on 7 October 2023. The brief postscript on that incident and its immediate aftermath is a mini masterclass of measured Biblical reflection on complex contemporary events.