Description: Terry J. Stokes introduces readers to the ancient practice of anarchy and how it intersects with Christian beliefs and values. Readers see how beliefs about God, humanity, divine-human interaction, the Bible, and more can be illuminated and faithfully reformulated through an anarchist lens to help us build a more ethical and just world.
Brief description:
Terry J. Stokes is an associate pastor at a church in central New Jersey. He received his bachelor's degree from Yale University and his master of divinity from Princeton Seminary. He is the author of Prayers for the People, a collection of prayers that introduces Christians to the ancient practice of prayer-writing. He was a presenter at the 2020 Evolving Faith Conference, has written for the Episcopal Church's Forward Day by Day publication, and is an editor for Earth & Altar magazine. Stokes is a candidate for ordination in the United Church of Christ.
Review Quotes:
"This is a book, at once, of love and radicality. Stokes offers a unique voice into the ways Christianity and the teachings of Jesus necessitate an anarchist worldview. There is a forthright demand, via a Christian ethic of love, to renounce the violence and domination of the state, while simultaneously creating something more loving, more caring. Indeed, I felt loved reading this book, reading of Stokes's life, of the beautifully necessary entanglement of Christianity and anarchism. And in that love, I felt radicalized. And you will too. I promise." --Marquis Bey, professor at Northwestern University and author of Anarcho-Blackness
"Jesus and the Abolitionists hums with freedom. Terry Stokes testifies to a robust vision of an anarchist future grounded in Black experience--a future both practical and realizable. Stokes introduces readers to political life beyond coercion and to a faith outside the reaches of violence. Weaving together political theory, scriptural insight, and theological rigor, Stokes's accessible book is a gift to anyone who has looked at a world devastated by the vapidity of statecraft and wondered, 'Is there another way?'" --Melissa Florer-Bixler, pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church
"Jesus and the Abolitionists offers a practical, systematic theology for Christians who seek to live generously, lovingly, and compassionately in a world marked by division. Stokes's call is wonderfully local, drawing the reader into the public to serve their neighbor. This anarchic vision is one of building, not burning--of asking hard questions while also proposing how we might live with Christlike, communal focus on God's redemptive work. For those seeking an innovative, creative engagement with the Christian practice in our world today, this is a worthwhile read." --Amar D. Peterman, founder, Scholarship for Religion and Society
"Terry Stokes challenges the mundanity of Western Christian communities in vivid and provoking ways. I came away from this work stirred, challenged, and charged." --Rev. Solomon Missouri, pastor of Invitation AME Zion Church, Snow Hill, NC
"In Jesus and the Abolitionists, Stokes employs wisdom and humor to ignite a brilliant ethical and biblical imagination. This book is a necessary text for Christians who feel called to participate in justice movements, because it recognizes the reality of history while offering a vision for our future when and where justice is possible. Jesus and the Abolitionists provides abundant hope, which is as much a balm as a fuel, nourishing us and calling us into a new way." --Erin Jean Warde, author of Sober Spirituality: The Joy of a Mindful Relationship with Alcohol