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Occasionally, a book comes along that ignites the fires of my imagination and fuels my passion for being part of the counter-culture we call the Church. Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat’s Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire is one such book.

Colossians Remixed goes where regular commentaries rarely go. The authors rewrite Colossians as if Paul were writing to postmodern, postChristian, 21st century Americans living under the rule of the American Empire. They go about this task by showing how deeply subversive Colossians was of the Roman Empire, and they seek to translate the subversive nature of the tract into today’s world.

The good
The authors write with great insight into the biblical text, both Old and New Testaments. Their reading of Colossians with “Old Testament ears” helps solidify the points they argue. Infusing even the greeting in Colossians “Grace and peace to you” with the Jewish concepts of these two words makes for a delightful exposition of the text. The authors love the Scriptures and they like seeing modern-day audiences shocked by their “targums” just as they consider how the original audiences were surprised by Paul’s rhetoric.

The authors understand the importance of the Roman Empire for Paul’s writings. When Paul calls Jesus the “image” of the invisible God, he was subverting Caesar, whose image appeared on virtually everything. And for our image-driven society today, Paul’s statement is just as powerful. Understanding the historical context of Colossians provides fresh insight into the text and helps the authors ground their targums in historical reality.

Colossians Remixed is right to argue that the United States is an “empire” of sorts, even if it does not always resemble Rome. And the authors are correct in stating that Christians should be subversive of the current worldviews that prop up and idolize the American way of life. This thread may be unpopular, but I confess it is the thread that made me do the most soul-searching. Over and over again, the authors remind us of how deeply committed we are to the idolatrous American dream.

The bad
Colossians Remixed fumbles in its vision of salvation. Yes, the cross of Christ defeated the powers of evil. But “evil” in this book is almost always relegated to the evil of the Roman Empire. Salvation is found in faith in Christ as one leaves behind the world of idolatry and enters the Kingdom of God. Evil in Colossians Remixed is usually defined in systemic, imperial terms – not in individual terms. It’s true that evangelicals tend to leave out systemic injustice and organizational sin in favor of individual sin when discussing this subject. But surely these two aspects complement each other. They are inseparable. Colossians Remixed swings the pendulum too far away from evangelicalism’s individualistic notions of sin and doesn’t leave much room for that kind of sin at all.

A second area of concern is in the nature of truth. Thankfully, the authors do not embrace a full-fledged postmodern understanding of truth. But they do downplay the role of reason and rationality in finding truth. The authors say we should not be committed to rationality, but to Jesus. Once we commit to rationality, we have entered into idolatrous worship of reason. But is this really so? And is a commitment to Jesus and a lesser commitment to rationality mutually exclusive? Do we have to choose one or the other? The authors are correct to question our culture’s love affair with rationalism, but their reaction to our culture’s problem is woefully inadequate.

The ugly
The main problem with this book (which will probably keep it from gaining a wide audience) is its incessant turning to left-wing political answers as the solution to the Church’s complicity with the empire. Walsh and Keesmaat deserve an “A” for effort in their attempt to bring Colossians to bear on society today, but they muddle their efforts by adopting political strategies and views that undermine the true “subversiveness” of their mindset.

When speaking of a Christian political vision, the authors affirm that Christians should stand up for the most vulnerable members of society and then decry “tax cuts for the rich.” Nowhere in their emphasis on compassion for the vulnerable do we find a plea for the lives of the unborn. The authors also focus on environmental issues as important to the Kingdom of God. But they fail to point out the dangers of “earth worship,” only capitalism. Bush, the War on Terror, the U.S. military – all fall under the authors’ condemnation, with little evidence that they have understood the complexity of the issues at hand.

Finally, Colossians Remixed would have us “secede” from the culture we inhabit. We should throw out our TVs and their incessant advertising. We should start using bicycles, stop buying processed foods, start gardening, stop using as much energy. Surely, “secession” is one way to subvert the “empire.” But is this the only way? Is it the best way?

Colossians Remixed is a delightfully provocative book. Its creative content, easy-going style, and terrific illustrations make it a book that is well worthy of your time and attention. You will be disappointed by some of the blanket statements and petty politics of the authors, but if you are looking for a thought-provoking book that differs from just about anything else out there, Colossians Remixed won’t let you down.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2007 Kingdom People blog

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