It is not new. People who share many spiritual convictions can come to such verbal blows and attitudes over politics that they divide relationships. In the church, should we ignore politics completely or can we apply the principles of God’s Word to our political environment and still remain united? How did Matthew and Simon the Zealot both remain among the twelve apostles of Jesus and change the world?
In a new book Escaping the Beast: Politics, Allegiance and Kingdom, Michael Burns addresses these issues head on. He lays out a comprehensive examination of the scriptural worldview of the kingdom and how that calls us to approach our discipleship and our place in the world – a timely read for all of us.
“One of the keys to understanding the Christian relationship with politics is to understand the drastic difference between the kingdoms of the world and the kingdom of God. There can be no blending of the two. We may hold passports from nations of the world, but we are first and foremost citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Allegiance to God’s kingdom must determine our values, daily choices, and the entire direction of our lives. There simply cannot be confusion about our citizenship in God’s kingdom and loyalty to it.”


Recommendations:

This a fantastic book! It is simply brilliant. Make no mistake about that. I guarantee that when you reach the final page, you will thank God and thank Michael for having done it. Learning from an author doesn’t mean that you end up agreeing with everything they have written, but it does mean that even if you disagree on some points, you will never view the subject in the same way again. Michael is such a writer. You are now in for quite a treat and an adventure. Dig in!

– Gordon Ferguson, Dallas, Texas

In a world that is torn by partisan politics, Michael Burns provides an incisive, prophetic and unifying alternative in his Escaping the Beast: Politics, Allegiance and Kingdom. Burns sounds a clear warning to Christians not to use the weapons of this world to fight the battles around them, and effectively makes the case that the Kingdom of God transcends this world’s solutions to problems we face and deserves our highest and deepest allegiance. A much needed resource for modern day Christians.

– Richard Rodriguez, Miami, Florida; author of An Unsealed Indictment: How American Slavery Violated the Scriptures.

Michael brilliantly presents Biblical principles for how God’s people should think about contemporary issues that threaten to dethrone Jesus as Lord of our lives and divide his followers. And he does so with much grace and empathy for the wide range of positions held by Christians. I am not American, but the issues covered are relevant to the country where I reside and the principles presented are universal.

As the world, including the church, increasingly divides along political lines and related issues, Jesus calls louder than ever for his followers to be the light and salt of the world. A common message throughout the book is that this purpose is lived out by being a prophetic community demonstrating God’s Age to Come in a tangible way and as an attractive alternative, in our present age. The book ends with an appeal for God’s people to find ways to discuss and grapple through the potentially divisive issues presented, with great love and respect. I feel compelled to take up the challenge.

– Neil Trollip, Port Elizabeth, South Africa