ACI
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BTDIIilLJ[$lI$
llb*i/tsto CONTENTS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Why This Booklct?
J
ohn Vincent
3
Who Was Jesus?
David Mowat
6
jesus's God
Christopher Bullock
12
Jesus's Genius
Mark Woodhead
14
Jesus's Way
Chris Bruce Moira Neish
16
Jesus's Challenge
Chris Gegg
17
Jesus's Community
Frances Dales
18
e:us's Movemcni
John Vincerrt
19
6. 1. 8. 9. j0.
Political Spirituality
Richard Levitt
21
Why Follow
Richard Levitt
22
11.
Discipleship Today
Richard Levitt
24
J
Jesus?
Chris Bruce 12.
My Way lnto The Gospel
't3.
I ife ln The Gospel
.lean Wildgoose
26 28
ASHRAM COMMUNIIY TRUST 239 Abbeyfield Road Sheffield 54 7AW
RADICAL JESUS MANIFESTO is a special issue
of
ACT The Journal of the Ashram Community Trust Editorial Group Richard Levitt Moira Neish
Chris Bruce Frances Dales .l
ohn Vincent
ACT No. 23 First published April 1985 (c) Copyright Ashram Community Trust
The Ashram Community seeks to be a community of disciples of lesus of Nazareth. Our lifestyte experiments are attempts to embody the Spirit, life and teaching of Jesus today. We are committed to supporting each other in ways in--which the inspiration'of.lesus takes us; and to sharing and celebrating the sufferings and .ioys of those ways.
We see ourselves as a Christian community, a gathering congregations. We regard ourselves as a part whether committed Christians or not.
of
individuals and
of the Church. We are open to
all,
ASHRAM COMMUNIry TRUST is a Registered Charity
with the Charity Commissioners (No. 500294)
FULL MEMBERS community commit themselves to the Community and its life, including giving of time, action and money in common. This includes suppor! of members' community projects in Briuin and overseas, and support of Ashram Community Houses, Centres and Projects, pres€ntly in Birmingham, Rochdale and Sheffield.
of the
FRIENDS
give f.5 yearly (overseas t6), and receive issues of ACT published, and/or other publications by Community members, plus the Community's internal Newsletter, ACT TOGETHER, and other notices of Weekends, activities, etc.
of the Community
PLEASE WRITE for further details to: Commu nity Of fice, 239 Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield 54 7AW Printed at Stantonbury Parish Print, Milton Keynes, MK'14 7PL
ACf
23
Sbp each plus postage 2Op 10 copies for e6 post free
as
1
WHY THIS BOOKLET?
Radical J esus Manifesto may seem to be a pret+'y irrelevant booklet to produce in the 1980's. We admit that there are many pictures
of
Jesus
put by churches, politicians, clergy, which indeed are irrelevant. But not, we think, the Radical picture. The Radical Jesus is, we claim, the historical Jesus, the.lesus as he really was, the Jesus who was crucified and raised up, the Jesus who led the earliest church of the New Testament records, the ]esus who inspired the persecuted church in the first three centuries. Jesus got taken over: by the State and the State-supporting church when Christianity became the religion of the Roman empire after AD 312.
This Radical
When Jesus bccame
a supporter of lhe status quo rather than its critic a personal comfort rather than a radical challenge a prisoner of churches rather than a person for everyone a pious kindly adviser rather than an angry reforming leader
Christians domesticated Or we tried to.
J
esus.
But now the true, original the Radical Jesus,
is breaking out again.
Jesus,
4
Thc Radical Jesus, who prefcrred the poor and outcast, who who who who who
regarded women and men as equals, told people to leavc all to follow him,
rciected establishcd Old Testanrent ideas, opposed authority and powers, was homcless and led a wandering lil'e.
And what about Britain in the 1980s? -l980s. .. Well, in Britain in the Wc have the poor and outcast: Jesus is among them. We still have women oppre-ssed: Jesus is for them. We have people giving up what they have: Jesus sustains them. We have people questioning old religious ideas: Jesus is on their side. We have tiny groups resisting authoritics and powe ts: Jesus's spirit is with them. We have homelcss ancl wanderers by choicc: Jesus's way crosscs thcm.
Our problcm is:Not that the Radical Jcsus is irrelevant to Britain in thc I980s -_ But that most of us havc too many vested intcrcsts which are threatened by him; Not that we do not nccd his dramatic reve rsals of our ideas and commitments But that we would have to change. And we could change. So we are calling for chatrge,
in ourselves, in everyonc, in everything, As Jesus did. And we are inviting people
to join us ln a company of people committed to finding what .f esus's Way means today.
A Manifestt.r is a Call to action. This
is jesus's,
Radical J csus's.
Takc it and Live by it!
WHY RADICAL? goes to the roots, Finds out the base of things, Lives by the original source Cuts out adclitions, revisions, rationalisations, Goes back to the basic beginnings.
A Radical
A Radical is not a RevolutionarY. A Revolutionary secks achievable changes After which all will bc well, A Radical seeks continual change Because everything will never be right. The Revolutionary works for
One great hcave to overthrow lhe stotus quo. The Radical persistently revolutionises everythirrg.
The Radical is not a liberal, A Revisionist, or an Enlightener.
A Radical does not trust The evolutionary processes of humanism, The "discoveries" of science-based technology, Thc mutual manipulation of sociological theories, Personal growth, sc lf-fu I fi I me nt, self-enrichment, "ex pcrie nces". Radicals know thernsclvcs too well To trust any of thcm. .lesus was a Radical.
He went to the roots of everYthing, Simp ly, without prcvarications, Demanding that basic human solidarity be respected and held to
-
like the bond-word of onc person to another, like the commitntents of Sisters and Brothers, like the rest after labour that bodies need. Jesus was a Radical.
He pointed away from himself To a reality and a dynamic to which he was obedient Which he called "God's Kingdom", "God's Rule" A Radical Reality in which thcre could be now equality between all people, raising up of everyone's gifts, sigrrificance within thc secular, forgiveness 1'or the offender"
proclaimed a new radicalism needed by the ncw Kingdom 'A radicalism of total commitment to that which was sure, though invisible, for everyone, though few knew it, for all time, but esfecially now. Jesus
JOHN VINCENT
WHO WAS JESUS?
THE SETTING When an unknown carpenter's son was baptised by the desert prophet John in the River Jordan, the atmosphere in lsrael was electric with expectation. Yet again in
the history of this small proud nation, the country was under military occupation. The Jewish people, tired of the insult of being under the thumb of the'unclean', the Gentiles, tired of paying heavy taxes and sick of brutal repression, were looking for a great leader, a Messiah, to deliver them. ln the hills,the nationalist rebels, the Zealots, were sharpening their swords ready for the next ambush of a Roman convoy, ln the desert fanatical monks, Essenes, were keeping themselves apartfrom the contaminated world. The religious leaders from reading the scriptures were talking of the imminent coming of God's prophet. The rulers were worried by these stirrings and rumours. Not long before, small children from awhole neighbourhood had been massacred by King Herod because amongst them, supposedly, was a baby who was destined to be king favoured by the Jewish God. By the time of Jesus, two generations after the Romans had made their rule secure, the religious response to the Roman presence was divided and varied. The High Priesr in Jerusalem and his associates were from the aristocracy and were appointed by the Romans. Any power they had was dependent on Roman backing. Recognising this they tended to be conservative and expedient in their politics. Not surprisingly, many Jews accused them of colruption and collaboration. Their party was called the 'Sadducees'.
Another party, made up of the intellectuals and scholars, was called the 'Pharisees' (literally means 'set apart'). They had considerable influence amongst the people, and had developed a literal understanding of the Jewish law. Salvation lay in strictly observing the law, and waiting passively for the arrival of the promised Messiah. All political affairs were in the hands of God and meanwhile it was important as far as possible to. remain untarnished by the things of this world. Eventually though (after Jesus died) the Pharisees did rebel.
A third response was to take to the hills and join the rebels. The Zealots believed that they were God's fighting army, and that the Messiah, like King David, would drive the Romans back to the sea. The northern country, around-Galilee, where Jesus grew up, was a stronghold of this party. The story of Jesus is the story of another way of following God in those
troubled times.
NOW IS THE TIME, THE BEGINNING The way Jesus chose was not that of a leader, conqueror, soldier or rnagician or even great High Priest. Wasn't the world full of thesc already and vet wasn't it still corrupt? With grcat sadness Jesus saw how God's pcoplc hacl dritrcd {'ar from God and far lrom how he wanted them to live togethcr, in harmonl,and lusticc. Thc only path opcn, it scemcd to Jesus, if all socicty was to bc transf,rmcd, was to bccome what was considered to be lowest, an unclcan, irreligious poor rnan, and serve God so absolutcly that God's intcntion would bccome clcar to all.
The time seemcd right. Evcryone was cxpccting som0thing; his cousin John was drawing thousands with his simplc messagc o1' doom and destruction and forgivcness for thosc prcpared to makc raclical cirangcs irr thcir livcs. "Now is the time!" Jesus felt, for a cornplctc ncw bcginning. With God's strength he hoped to demonstrate the rvay into thc n*v pror'rriscd land, God's Kingdom on Earth. He must hurry, the task was urgcnt because Lhe nation faced annihiiation. The forces of cvil had a powcrful grip ovcr pcoplc's bodics, hearts and minds. To some his
rrclvs would bc bad, to othcrs eood, but it nccdcd to be proclaimed, everywhere. As soor-r as John was arrcsted Jesus camc ou1 in the open. So, onc day ir-r the synagoguc, he proclaimccl his nranifesro. He began rhc sermon by simply stating what his mission lvas all .rboul, by claiming for himself what lsaiah had spoken centuries befr.rrc:
"The Spirit ol.thc Lord has bcen given to mc, has anointed me. [.lc has sclrt nrc to bIing thc good llcws to thc poor, to tell prisoners thai rhcy can go frcc, to givc ncw sight to thc blind, to give freedom to opprtsscd peoplc, and proclaim the Lorcl's year of favou r.,' (Luke 4.l B,l g.) By this year of Iavour lcsus was rcferrirrg to an old custom, enshrined in lewish law but long since dcfuncr. lt was a time, every 49 years when social inequality in lsrael h;rd to be ironcd out. Jcwish slaves were to be frced and set up in their own right by thc fornrer mastcrs, Iarge landowners had to return land to the lanclless and smail holders from ivhom it had been acquired, and all debtors were lct off their debts. Probably this systern of "Jubilee" hacl never worked very well, but Jesus saw this radical redisrribution as the vital elcment of the "Kingdom of God" which he was bringing in.
J esus saw that so long as the people regarded him just as .) oseph the carpenter,s son, they would not hear his message. so, for the first of many times, f esus said the opposite of what was expected, arrd deliberately infuriated people. ln-this instance, getting more reaction than he bargained for, he only just escaped getting slung ovei
a
cliff.
A
MOVEMENT IS BORN
The rejection by his home town, in a way, both freed Jesus to be independentond maoe nrm aware now much he needed to share his work with a handful of people he could trust, people who could arso be his friends when he *as lon.ly. r-risio?nl panions were not clever or ric.h but mostly ordinary working-class p.opl., like the fishermen James and John. Levi, a tax coilector, courd .;.; b; -relaroea as an unclean Roman collaborator, the. handling of money witt tne iruge of the .as Emperor on the coin was brasphcmy (i.e. an inlurt to coai. oir.',"r, hld connections
8
with the Zealot movement, so a more mixed bag can hardly be imagined! These were the people Jesus spent most time with and to whom he tried hardest to get his message across. He realised how vulnerable one person was, but how powerful a movement could be. These companions were called disciples. They referred to Jesus respectfully as Master (Guru) or'sir', They saw in Jesus something so incredible that it wai worth giving up the security of a home or job for him. constantly they misunderstood what he was about, hoping for much of the time to become rich, important folk. when it came to the crunch, they let him down and fled during the trial and crucifixion. ln the meantime they tolerated the demands he put upon them. Jesus insisted that they have no personal possessions, but should be entirely dependent upon well-wishers. Leaving everything behind kept cropping up, because, as Jesus saw, it was all too easy for anxieties about property, parents, homes and belongings to get in the yay of the urgent task - to proclaim the good news. Only those with norhing, foolish people completely dependent on the mercy of fellow human beings, could tell others the good news of liberation. Jesus didn't see himself as Master and Lord, but as slave, and this also he stressed to his disciples. Hierarchy was one of the main paths to iniustice and corruption. lt must be tackled at the roots of the new movement, at the start of
the coming Kingdom.
THE SINFUL COME FIRST From the very beginning Jesus was a healer and exorcist. He might have been a popular preacher with crowds coming to see him, he might have had an important message for kings and priests, but he never let the pressure of events push to the background the people he most wanted to serve. To be ill in Jewish thinking was to be sinful. An infirmity was a punishment for a crime committed and often, because it wasn't possible to remain ritually clean, the sick person was doubly outcast. The only way open for the cripple to survive was to beg as often family and friends deserted them. The existence of such misery, and the hard attitude of the religious people, was an affront to God in Jesus'eyes, and he always made the outcast the significant people in any event or story.
Once, he was hemmed in by lawyers and doctors in a house, with a crowd outside. Some people, carrying a paralysed man on a stretcher, were unable to get through, so they dug a hole through the roof (easy enough for flat-roofed houies made of earth) and lowered the man down on ropes. Jesus, as always, responding to the faith of others - in this case the conviction and bloody-mindednes-s of the friends who would stop at nothing - forgave the man's sins. ln reply Jesus, eminently practical rather than a debater, told the man to get up, take his bed and go home, as an equal citizen in the Kingdom of God. Everything that Jesus said and did was partof the Kingdom. Healingwas not iust an end in itself, but also evidence that the old prophecies were being fulfilled, that people were being freed. wicked systems were confronted and Satan wai being defeated.
DRUNKEN
AND THE KINGDOM
PEOPLE
9
'ESUS a relentless fanatic, moving from crowd to crowd and It might seem that Jesus was giving his friends a hard time. But he was aware of the need for space and often iried-to get away on little retreats, to be alone in the hills where he could talk with God and take stock of events. lt was lust inevitable that people kept following him, eager to devour what he had to offer. Nor was Jesus a wet blanket. He frequently went to dinner partics with his friends, eating and drinking with prostitutes and other disreputable people, accepting them as his equals. This was also part of the Kingdom. Over and over Jesus described the Kingdom as a joyful thing, a treasure for which it was worth letting go of other things. He saw how often families get in the way, and once snubbed his own when they asked people near the front of the circle to tell Jesus to come back home for his tea. He said 'My mother and brothers ask for me?' Jesus' attitude towards women was different from most people's. His whole mission was dependent on the financial support of a few wealthy widows like Susannah and he often chose the company of prostitutes; so you can imagine the stories that went around about him. Though in his lifetime we hear mostly about the men surrounding.l csus there were also women followcrs. When he was killed it was the women who took care of the Body and were the first to spread the good news of the rcsurrcction. They were initially disbelieved by the men.
CONFRONTING THE POWERS
lsrael remained at the heart of.Jesus'mission, and as time went on he became convinced that he was God's chos.n anointed one, the Way through into the Kingdom. For about a couple of years he had been preaching al.d healing.in the ind anno-ying the local rulers. Undoubtedly the ;;;;;;;;, gathering targe ciowds on him; for, though he appeared to be. against nia an eye haie w6uld hornun, ui;i;;;;, anyone with large crowds and a different messa.ge was-threatening. But ln ;ii.; thit iim., lerrr deciiecl to tackle "the big one", and head.for J.erusalem. his actions he ionfirmed the worst fears of the Jewish elites and the Romans, and made his death as an upstart king inevitable.
'10
Rathcr than simply slip in and start preaching aird healing in the marl<et placc, Jesus rnade a formal entry through the main gates in the style of the lrumble l<irrg riding on a donkcy. His disciples organiscci the crowcl to pay tribute to this 'Son ol'David who comes in the name of the Lord'. Perhaps his kingship was different, but it was certainly a bid for a kingship of sorts, a political act which could hardly be ignored by the powcrs that be. His final public ;rct, which rnade up the mincls o1'thc Jcwish elitcs to have rid of him and let the Romans lrave their own way, was to clear thc Ternplc f'orccourt of the merchants and money-changers. Because of thc sacrifices required by larv in the Temple, and that all animals had to be paid for in Tenrple money, there rvas a double racket, and poor pcoplc were being rippecl off. Jesus, absolutcly furior,rs at what was going on in the namc of his Father in his own place, no doubt with his disciples'help drove out all the merchants. Cod's rr-rle of justice came before anything
e
lse.
THE COMING DESTRUCTION When he was in Jerusalem, Jesus began talking at grcatcr lc-'ngth about the corr.ring destruction. He was so passionatc about the fatc that arvailcd the city that he cricd for "her", lamenting the killing and levclling at 1he hancls of a forcign army (whicir did happen only a generation later when the Romans crushcd arr uprising). lrr thc expectation of a sudden coming of disaster, punislrment onr God, .| csus thouglrt the same as his contemporaries. Fle also hoped that thc Ncw i\ge of God, which hacl begun with his healing and announcement r:f the Go<-rd Ncws, rvould soon come irr full force, from God, even bcfore his generation had died. These things rverc out of our hands, he said, but the important thing was not to say'relax, it doesrr't rnattcr any more'or'eat, drink and be merry', but to be expectant, reading the signs of the 1.r
time.
ln the last few days and weeks Jesus led the life of a wanted man, avoiding public places. The temple authorities and R<-rmans wouid be out to get him now that he had made such a dangerous stir in the capital itself. Before, when hc could build on the trust of people, he had told the disciples not to carry purses or swords. Now he said, if you haven't a sword buy one because you don't know whom you can trust, what with temple agents everywhere. The disciples must have been very perplexed and disillusioned. Only now they began to realise how different Jesus was from the expected Messiah. What was he doing cowering in the shadows like a Wanted Criminai? Peter had probably been disillusioned since Jesus turned down the offer <lf his own army in the hills above the Sea of Galilee. There, a secret army of 5,000 men had met in the wilderness'like sheep without a shepherd', i.e. leaderless. Encouraged by Jesus'act of breaking and sharing the food, they wanted to seize him and make him king. Jesus l.orced the disciples to leave and later fled himself. ln thc event it was Judas, the treasurer, who betrayed Jesus andshowed the Temple guards and Roman soldiers where they could find him. But perhaps any one of them could have done it.
11
THE END
_
AND THE BEGTNNING
Jesus' last communal act with h'is disciples shows what he thought of his coming death. lt was not to be a dreadful act to avenge, but a meaniof liberating hii friends. His broken body would be the means to feed and strengthen their f;ith, like the broken bread shared around during the meal. lf at the lait moment, when Jesus could still muster a following and cause rebellion or lie low indefinitely, he winced from the consequences of his teaching and life * the Roman method of death by torture called crucifixion - then how could he say'follow me'? lf he had by example lived amongst the people who were excluded from respectable society, then if this was really his Father's way, it was necessary to be ready to die amongst them and pass on his faith to his disciples.
The strain he felt must have been unbelievabre, and the faith he had that
of it r.emarkable, because he could hardly count on his disciples. Like other Jews of the day he believed that he would rise again soon, at the iime of the last Judgement, but this hardly had a bearing on his agonizing decision to good would come
stand and face his accusers, utterly alone. Even on the cross htscream-ed ,My God, why have you abandoned me?' only because of that moment is Jesus, *^y oi liberation possible for us, too.
_ when Jesus was executed it was as a pretender to the Jewish throne, by the Romans who had full authority in the most serious legal matterskCertainlf the Jewish elites, the high priests, scribes and pharisees *a-nted him out of the way because of the direct way in which he challenged their authority and status. Bui Pilate would have needed,no excuse; he was a biutal ruler who wis paranoid about FIgups meeting together, following new dangerous doctrines. lt didn,t even matter if he was .non-violent; he had roused the rab-ble and that always creates headaches for the rulers. :", . ._Ih.. story of Jesus doesn't end with the crucifixion. His death is a way into the Kingdom. The Kingdom continues and so does Jesus, because he was so completely the way. He emptied himself to be filled wifrr trre compassion of God, and
this compassion is triumphant over evil. The witness to thls is.iust that the disiiples changed from being a frightened scattered bunch to being inspired with amazing strength tocarryontheministryof Jesusinhisnameaslivin!leader.Theywitnessej
to his resurrection.
. Jesus aiso said many things we shall study in this Booklet. But even today, the immense courage and humanity of the man'hits you between ir,..y.r, anu lie can still as^k_thg questions: 'will you join me in the Kingdom? will you drof att anJ follow me? Today there is still time; tomorrow it may bE too late.i' -our business is not to 'drop all','trip out'and ,enter a different world,. [*1.f il il$By-. rhe power to deat with tiberating the captive priron.r, roday in
thrs reat world.r. lhat power is sheer practical, unromantic, love _'with no strings of authority attached. And that love, shining in the life, i.uttl una. iesurrection of .lesus, is the love called God, whom we, too] can call Abta, Uualy;..i'-
DAVID MOWAT
JESUS'S COD
ln our secular, rational, scientific culture, it is not casy to have any conccpt olGod. of the presencc of God in all his tcaching and
Jesus, however, was cclnstantly arvare acti ons.
t-le said he was "sent by the Father"
to live among us, to teach us about God's ways, to plant the seeds of the Kingdom.
ln the Old Testament, God is creator, cosmic supervisor and .iudge, but primarily Liberator. . . God is paternal, maternal . . . but slightly remote, like a Victorian middle class father, loving but atrlocratic. Yet the Divine purposc is rcvealed by God'salliance with a small, insignil'icant, downtrodden people. God calls Abraham, a settled city clweller, away frorn his life of prosperity and comfort to become a nomad, but promiscs him that he will be tlre ancestor of a great nation (Genesis 12.2). Similarly, God calls Moses to leacl the people of lsrael out ol'bondage in Egypt to a ncw life in thc Promised Land. So wc see that God sides with thc oppressed and unimportant folk. The lnvisiblc One who rules is powerful and autocratic; swift to bless buteclually swift to punish. This awe-inspiring vicw of a God bcyond idols is nor in conflict with Elohim's radical care for their downtrodden offspring:
13 rr'tle with power, bringing rvith him thc people he has rescucd. He witt take carc of his shecp likc a shepherd:
"The sovereign Lord is coming to
hc will gathcr thc lambs together, and cariy them in his arms." (lsoiah 40,10'1 I ) God is known through divine ways active among human bcings'
By tlre time of
people' Jcsus, Yahweh hacl seemingly ab.andoncd,the Jcwish
who wei-csimply ttrcsuUlecis 6f otlrer grcaternatiirns. Yet manyJcws wcrefervcntly ivaiting l'or God to rcappcar and free their people from the yoke of their opprcssors' For trvo centurics bclole Jesus people had becn cxpecting thc cnci of the world an Apocalypse. Many awaited a violcnt Messiah.
JesusdisappointcdthoseJcwswhothoughtlikethjs.Heshowcdtwoaspects which rvent against the prcvailing notions. These were
of C.jJ, in porii.rtnr,,
'unexpectcdness' and'vulnerability'.
His/Her Goct is unexpected. God acts in atr unexpectcd, ciisturbing w.ay by having points lndeed, household. class poor lowcr Jcsr-rs ancl a up irr son born arrd brought
a farnine in tut that Elijah ha"d ministerei only tc a Phoenician wonlan ciuring those outside to all, to gspecially (tii, extends mercy God's 4.26) . ir[.i "".i.'lt iti. ,l..p..totrle circle of Jewish society (tu*e +.18-l 9; 5. j1'j2)'
1hus, Jesus g()es out ot his way to befriencl sinners, treat women as equals, are cline with t.rx-collccfors, [tring healing to the sick and tell peoplc.thcir sins as forgiven. All this horrifics thi authoiities, wl.to regard.Jesus and. his clisciples suffcrings prcscnt in tlre is that God shows blasphenlers. Jcsus t,juibl. makers and i,J aspiratlons of ortjinary and neglectecl people. Thc Christ statrds in solidarity rvith the lepcr, tl'tc Satrlaritan, the widow. practises humility Goct is v,ulneroble.l his is clearly shown in .lesus' whole lifc. Hc to be broken preparcti people, he.is ol sorti to all opcn is fully he ,.ltfl.,rrn.ss, of the oppression and ",ii sin the overcome to for the world's sakc. He'believes that he raised with it th,trl pain and and sufferirrg its lt, share to submit one must rvorld, to new life. The Messiah allows himself to be cr-ucified - a completely' inconceil'able ,iit to n",ort jews. this lre believes, would seal liberation and reconciliation with God ancl humanity. Thus, rhe Gocl of the Raclical Jesus, the God who comes over in the Gospe ls, the is not the God of porve r atrcl might, but orie who stands along'side the cxploited, God society' periphery of the on are who mcn wonren'ancl ihosc rnisundct-stood as thcy are, ,t..1,i,l.t ln pcoples' suffc.rings, rcsponcls to their needs, and accepts them humanity' fullcr for a to strivc thctn but cncouragcs All this is clc.rr in thc person of Jcsus. Ultimately, Christians know that nobody can rcally urrclerstand about Gocl. But they krrow cnough, bccausc Jesus has made enough plain.
CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK
JESUS'S GENIUS
Jesus' insights point
to the true radicalism, the roots and firm
foundations of
free life: Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them Will be like the wise man who built his house upon the rock; And the rain fell, and the floods came, And the winds blew and beat upon that house,
But it did not fall,
it had been founded on the rock. (Mott. 7.24) Jesus points to good news for all of us, and changes the direction of each one's life: The time is fulfilled, And the Kingdom of God is at hand; Because
Repent,
And believe in the Gospel. (Mork 1.15) Jesus cares for the people of the city: They brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together outside the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, And cast out many demons; And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him, (Mork 1.32)
Jesus pokes fun at accusations of blasphemy;
And immediately Jesus, Perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, Said to them, Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic person, 'Your sins are forgiven', Or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? (Mark 2.8)
't5
And carries on poking fun at his critics: How can Satan cast out Satan? lf a kingdom is divided against itself, fhat kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself,
That house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, He cannot stand,
But
is
coming to an end. (Mark 3.23)
Jesus brings good ncws about the family: Who are my mother and my brothers? And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, And sister, and Mother. (Mark j.33)
He continues to care, and doesn't want people to shout about it: And taking him aside from the multitude privately, He put his fingers into his ears, And he spat and touched his tongue; And looking up to hcaven, he sighed, And said to him, 'Ephthatha', That is, 'Be opened'. And his ears were opened, his tongue was released,
and he spoke plainly.
And he charged thcm to tell no-one; But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. (Mork 7.33) Jesus points to a new kind of greatness: What were you discussing on the way? But they were silent; For on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve;
And he said to them, If any one would be first, He must be last of all and servant of all. (Mork 9.33) I
He asks ridiculous questions about seasoning, with insight into human life: Salt is good; But if the salt has lost its saltness, How will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, And be at peace with one another. (Mork 9.50) Jesus cares; Jesus laughs and pokes
fun; Jesus sees the roots behind the superficialities.
ilIARK
WOODHEAD
16
2.chmar[,
7.
Heorr
JESUS'S WAY
ryHe<d Jesus'call, like God's Kingdom, is upside-dorvn.
Wh.r.ur most begin by convincing thc head, J esus calls first for rv.rll'ing, then eatirig, thetr lovitrg, thcn thinking!
to
follorv him with thcir lcet, rvithotrt .tn crPl,tnation (M.rrl< l. l6 20) New disciples are invited to share in mgals with thc conlniut.tity ol [ollowos (l\4lrk 2.1.3-i 7) Disciples expericnce a ch;ittgc of hc.rrt, tru5t thdt Jcsus'way is riglrt,.ttrtl chltlgc thcir livcs' direction (H,lart tb.2S'30)As thev follow, disciples come to ry'nclerstancl bits ancl picces of thc Klrltlorrr
Jesus"'catls his cliiciples
(M,u l. tt.27 33)
But thc disciples ncvcr totally understand. (Mark 16. 1-8) without fi-rlly undcrstandlng what hc tlitl:
his God .f csus himsclf followecl
run away. (Luke 4.16-30) He felt himself compellcci to fulfil a dcstiny awaitirrg him. (Lukc 12. l;) He was surprised by the undcrstanding of a Syro-Plrocnician w()ln.lrr. (irl,rrk 7.2-1.30) ,tvho touched mc?'when a woman was healed bv faith. (Mark 5.25 3-1) He askecl He praycd to be allowed to avoid his crucifixion. (Mark 14.32-42) Jesus
told par.rbles about a proccss golng on which rve cannot l'athorn: seed, waters it, and it sprouts and grows shc knows not how.
A farnrcr plants
(Mark 4.26-27)
A fathcr's sons tcll hirn one thing and then do the opposite' (Mauhcw 21.28-32) So we arc called to make a step in faith, To follow a way we know not whither, To risk security, ccrtainty, knowlcdge .* perhaps cven iifc, in ordcr to g,ct things done.
Thcn as pcoplc follow thclr rrcw path to differerrt places, Thcy learn differcnt things, make different mistakes -And pcrhaps undcrstand something more of the Kingdom. (But Judas followed too, and finished up by betraying Jesus Maybe we will not understand eithcr.) CHRIS BRUCE & MOIRA NEISH
1l
JESUS'S CT{ALt,ENGE
arns l'rtr \upp()tl in thc sense ol strcngLhcning, it lvants r.onr{ori irr 1l-rc scnsc oi soothing. But if w'c gct it, wc .lr'{t \o(iri rltrs.rtislicd. llunran Lrcings ncctl stirlulus, titc rcvcrse ol:or.rLhing. Wlthin pcoplc is thc s,tnrc clir c.tse, scrrchirrg;ind clucstionin,f ih,1 urrr.lcrlics ihtGospel stor ics jt-sus challcngcd Lcvi to lcar,c thc st,cur itr' ol his iob as a t.rx ci-rllcct,;r (1lt,rk 2.1 1) to iakc up thc inse crrrc lil'c ol [r.rll1r1f i1lq [16. Je:Lrs is challcngctl bv Niti,rlr.nrus 'How cln you bcgrn .rq,rin?' , bc born a.g,tin (lcthn 3. t-/ )) lixcci icltas :rr t ovcrtl-rroivn thi ngs bccomt, urrr'cr'l.ri rr Thc good ncws is th,rt Jcsus acts by turninr thc l. irrd ol clisconr lor t rvhiclr is ncgative and destructive HLtrnanity
',,e
ii thinks
it'l
to p,r:itivc
sc.tr clri rtg
he docs ltot ot'l()l \oothing security Lru I c hallenge s us lo chlnge
to lace insecurity, and an unknown future. HOW CAN
IT BE
DONE?
Jesus was able to recharge .l esus gave strength to the
himself by going into the hiils to pray. (Mark 1.35) community of the disciples by his example of caring, 'come and rest' (,\lark 6.31) by serving, washing rheir feer (John 13.3-9) b1, explaining (tllark 4.34) and teaching (,\4ork 8.3,i-38) by having them as companions (Uorn S.i4) by eating with thcm (Mork 14,17-25) . by trusting them as he sent them out to heal (Mork 6.7-l j) He picked up the disciples' failing faith when Peter sank ashetriedtomect..lesuswalkingon thewater(lllott. t4.2g-31 ) when Perer denied him ar his trial (Mark t4.66-72. 16.7) when Thomas dicl ,otbelieve in Jesus'victory over Death (/ohn 20.24-28) -f hrough Jesus peoplc did things beyond thelr capacity found faith to accept his power to hcal them. The disciples went out to teach and to heal and accepted .l csus'challenge to follow him.
CHRIS,
GEGG
18
JESUS'S COMMUNITY We believe that we can be brought to wholcncss through disciplcshin 1o thc Jesus portrayed in the Gospels. For wholeness we need -
to be valued as we are to be part of a community and to have a role in it to be able to takc risl<s arrd to accept challe ngcs to live our own lives and value our own lives and experiences to take responsibility for ourse lves and follow our own irrsights to have laith in lile.
Jesus said
Follow me and you will have a new family; (Mark 1.16, 10.28-30) takc a risk and you willdiscovcr somethirig ncw antl cliilercnr.
Jesus said
Your faith has madc you whole; (Mark 5.34) take responsibility for your own life and you will I'ind wholencss,rnd he.rlrh.
Jesus said
Look around you, thc signs are already here of'the presencc ol' God's Kingdom; (Mark 4.26;Luke 17.20,21) learn to recognise what is here. Jesus said
Old and new will not go together; (Mork 2,21,22)
you need to make a choice,
the new bursts all the boundaries of the old. Jesus said
Do not be bound by rules and regulations (lVlark trust life and respond to people.
3.
l-6)
Jesus said
Now is the time to respond; (Luke 9.60-62) do not put off making a decision or it may be too late. Jesus said
Barriers will bc broken down where loving action is shown; (Luke 1.37,39) break down the barriers and see what's on the other side.
.lesus said
I did not come to invite virtuous people but sinners; (Mark 2.15-l 7) accept pcople as they are, eat and celebrate with them. J
esus said
Go back to your own folk; (Mork 5.1-20) whole people g! back to their own communities to tcach them to rccognise
the presence of God's Kingdom in the world in the new powcr which-
burst into the world.
has
FRANCES DALES
.IESUS'S MOVEMENT
Part of the liberation Jcsus brings is that I am liberatcd from the hopcless endeavour to fulfil mysell, to bc an individual, to be a private person,
to iustify mysclt'. Jesus's Community, his movcment dclivers mc from sclf-centrcd care and a self-deceivi,g indulgence into a rea'lm ol'[rrothers and sisters in whiclr I become more than myself.
A realm of Sistcrs and Brothers upholding cach other giving their gifts and possessions to each other exposing each other's weaknesses in love provoking each other to deeds together A commu nity commited to a Movement a Movement
for
the raising up o1'the low the feeding of the hungry the liberation of the captives the seeing of thc blinded thc hearing of rhe deafened the freeing of the slaves the unbinding of the burdened
To this end, Jesus's people find themselves
involved up ro rhe hilt in politics not iust primarily the politics of parties or slogans or political leaders whom they often expose
as jesus did
(and as we might clo, clemanding Tories, SDps, Liberals and Labour
heed other people than their commitmenti)
20 But submitted to the Politics of embodying a better way by common wealth by common work by common life Such politics can manife st itself in dernonstrating against injustice (like cleansing the Temple) in proclaiming the power of weakness (like entering the city on an ass) in exposing the authorities (li ke challenging Pilate) in denying the stated issues (like the debates.bout who is great) in unmasking established financial monopolies (like the coin as Caesar's or the temple's) Such politics begin with commitment
commitment commitment commitment commitment commitment
to to to to to
the victimised radical change
pioneering profects new communities ultimate values
Which means joining the peace movement the movement for social justice
the movements towards common wealth common [utures common destinies But also joining with each other and others in pioneering new political alliarrces of the poor of the disenfranchised of the non-technological of the post-industrial of the nutty pioneers of a new world. Such politics has the hope of success because it is not in any party prcgramme because it endlessly provokes new actions new commitments new experiments new solidarities new policics Rejoice, fellow citizens, We are Conquering!
loHN
V|NCENT
21
POLITICAL SPIRITUALITY Paul of Tarsus, r)n ,l roorl tlay ln pris<.rn, shared somc rcfiections on discipling, witnessing, thcologisirrri,rnrl rvorshipping. The following meditation stems from cxtracicd bils ol thc oyrt.rr lcllcr-in (,rce k to the pcoplc gathcred in Jesus's way at
I'hilippi
(scc
l'hilipplutrs 1.,\'-l t ; 1.27-2.4).
Pcoplc t.rkc.r IrL'll,,,lul
lilc rvhcn:
ol
Jcsus.rnd cxpcrience thcir personal life as political
Gospcl is r.n.rrlc lirrrr in tltc lacc of an Opposition's persecution... (politics) Lovc is m.rrlt'e llt.rlivc lry Ir-rll knor.vlcdgc and discernment. . . (praxis) comrniinrenr i\ r'nBe n(lcrcd thror-rgh tcsting among the diffcrent ways that Jusr dct-rls c. r j,i r ,rs rlisciptcs 1.rt<c in ,";IJrtr;:?;::;';;(Siiirif"?lt:iri].l Bclicving is ()ne \l(.1) rorv.rrc.ls Christians bcing persecuted. . . (witness) Conf licts ,rrr' 1,n11 lt'rnr rlrugglcs with winnable turning-points . . . (partisanship) Soliilar ity, is ol lr,rilit,s, souls, joy, lovcs, sorrow, thoughts, actions . . . (fellowship) Huntility is corrsirlt.rilq olhcrs' irrtcrcsts as immediately as one,s own . . .
(empathy)
such disciplcs {irrtl ,rt lc,rsr t'iglrl nrw rolcs,.rs'learner/agents', when they'act' and 'rcllcct', i.c.:-
conspirators
ffir"t""
fr*,t},*--J
;--*l
RICHARD LEVITT
22
10 WHY FOLLOW
JESUS?
lmpossible!
WHY JESUS? Why do I or should I go lor this hauntirrg, alietr figure Jesus of Nazarcth, killcd as a political criminal by a conspiracy of religious and military cstablishmcnts rvho wished to victimise a'ringleader'who failed to get his Movement going? one who experienced human life only as a male. . . a single, heirless Jew. . . who spoke Galilean Ararnaic dialect (not religious Hebrcw, not military Latin, not cultural Grcck) . . . left behind an oral message . . . hardly travelled beyond the provincial, pcasant district of his upbringing in search for a better life, and finally did so only to court violcncc . . handed on to a tiny, mixed fellowship of women and men unthcorctic.rl breaking of brcad, pouring of wine . . . su pported unpred ictabl y by ignoran t, frightened, paralyscd fol lowcrs, who tried to chcrish subversive memory . . . was tortured to death;1s a deterrent, stripped to his core of isolalion . . . had died before the age of thirty-five, with most of his lilespan'a [rlrnk'. . . .
I can only confess that these limitations and peculiaritics hclp me. They help me to think about the significance of our lives in thrs world, with thcir limitations, and peculiaritics, by relating to Jesus's Event, Way, traditions, Spirit, limitations and peculiarities.
They murmur in his life and hclp me to see the values in all persons'livcs, cspccially the hits that don't 'add up'
O
inelfable dreams,
pain
I
\
ecstasY
unformed hopes i
\f' ndifference
I' ,t aisabititl-, hunger
My Jesus includes these physical/spiritual 'bitsI unrepeatable experiences, which we undergo, each of us, in unique ways with other human beings.
BUT WHY FOLLOW ANYONE? WHY LEAN ON ANY PIONEER?
lf you
23
say:
'l don't
need anybody as my Master, Guide, Constant Spur,
I prefer to approach anything on its worth, assetsond debits and test it after my own fashion, rn my own way
-
and freely choose, again and again, with my whole being".
Then I would say: OK, therc arc timcs when I need a tcacher or hero, both to imitatc and to be advised by ;rnd I [ind this Spirit of Radical Jesus in my comrades, Christian and non-Christian, in the struggle and beyond, in strange forms beyond thc labcls ol . . . comedian or computer. .. doctrine or dominator. . . friend or flag guru or guerilla . . . lover or lackey mender or mould . . . scapegoat or scdative. . . token or tormentor Living humanity does not rrecd someone with fixed roles. Not you, nor l. And Jesus does not have fixccl rolr:s.
AND CAN YOU FOLLOW JESUS? There is a chasm ltctwccn thc "Christ of History" and the "Jesus of Faith". Can this chasm be crossccl? ln orrr striving to lloat threads across, rig-up strands beyond thc hot air which surcly cools ls our spcnding of time, effort, energy worthwhile; is it worth lovc,rrrd livcsi Dare we cleclarrr thc crossing to be a bridge, can we go it alone, what moves
over
does this gatcw,ly tal(c its toll?
whenever I cl'roost: to facc up to any vicws through thc kaleidoscopic tube of
J
esus's images,
frcely ancl hor.rcstly, then l start "on thc inside" as participant, luniquely,rncl wholly,
rather tharr end as observer "on the outside", and so I discovcr a limited compass
appropriate to tho immediate map I create from my reality and othcrs'rcalities. I shake the tube. I interpret. l'm responsible.
So people may journey onwards, each one a traveller hoping to enjoy the hikc. (homo viotor not homo sapienst) Does thal help you imagine how following Jesus in unpredictable company is is is is
possiblc?
not sl-ra ightforward? not solitary? not checrlcss?
For we like hidden tracks, in packs, and as human beings
find our own allies
for
struggle; companions at nourishment; enemies to resist; comrades in relaxation; during the (potentially life-l.ong) exploration (between Jesus's band and orr gungi of building the bridge (between both groups, bondage and empowermentJ and of walking the way (the truth and the life in paitnership).
RICLIARD LEVITT
11 DTSCIPLESHIP TODAY It
follow the radical Jesus today. People'hear'calls and discover new tasks to be done find new perspectives on being human realise therc is no way back to safety.
is possible to
So, in Sheffield, now, we boast of ourselves, in our weakness and our boldness. There's Albert:
moving, aged 74 and working-class, from a comfortable ncighbourhood and council house into a top'floor flat of a high-rise block, to bc with the people he imagines Jesus accompanicd. Ten years on, he grips his faith with new enthusiasm - and dices with death daily.
There's Phyl:
and thcn covers her tracks; still changing in aflluent suburbia, shc champions thcrc the rich ethos and rnaterial claims of inncr-city peoplc.
she takes risks to be generous
-
beyond 'retiremcnt age'. Living
There's Tracy:-
waiting for her chance to pr-rsh forward a new sign of God's Rule; a young educated woman who sees room for a non-nuclear-family community on a dispossessed, far-flung housing estate-
25 There's
Je
an:
bringing up a six-year-old son, alone and with
littlc money; a com-
mitlcd fcminist who plans a lifc opcn to more than a aSscrtivC,
enuouraging. . .
fcw
generous,
There's Anrre:
paid by thc institutional church, yet rclusing ordination or tracjitional femalc rolcs, shc is striving to create a new job --going bcyond congre_ gations and prcaching thc gospcl by embodying some-of its disturb'ing st ran ds-
What moves them along in thcir disciplcship to the Radical Jesus?
l.
They belong r,,r1 lcast onc Disciplcs'Group, committcd to support each other in politic,rl actlons and contrary patterns of living; celebraiing worth-
lvhile moments ,rncl individual vulnerability, struggling to'remain open to any ou tsi ders.
2.
They wrcsllt' willr llr. rtolit's ul Jcsus and ol rhc [irst Lhrisrians, rcllr.cling on their own lilc botlr ,rlonc and as part ol'the group(s).
3.
sharc ,r.tl lhey [ollowers
l,rr,rgh
abrut thcir attonpts at discipleship. Thc band ol
is lr rr,rlrrr,rl locus lor thcir activilics and concerns, making mistakes and stepping,rrlsitlc thcnrst:lvcs. 13y tr,ivi:lling togcther, cach lcar"ns to find value in sorr()w\,rnil joys. 4.
They don't cr.rl tlr(r)l\olvcs.ll Ironr othcr things, buL rveave thcm all into thcir chosc'n srylt's,l livi.g; .r pcrlr.rps thcy give them a lowcr priority -lcstricting tirne, cllor l,rncl cxi)cnsc.
Tlrcy
pracl,isr: rlt'p1.11111'1151 on one anothcr's resourccs; dcny the false pride of bcing,rblc 1o looL.rlle r Lhcmselves;and devalue the tyranny of money.
RICTIARD LEVITT AND CHRIS BRUCE
lf)
12
MY WAY INTO THE GOSPEL
I fell in lovc with Jesus when I was twenty three, after the breakdown ol'n'ry first marriage during which I had my first cxpcrience of financial povcrty, ancl during a subsequcnt breakdown, which was my first experiencc of brokenness. Jesus affirmed nre whcre I lvas, crucified as lwas - "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy-ladcn, and I will give you rest", "A bruised rccd hc will not break". And I knew that if I could find him somervhere hc would hcal nrc, as he healcd all the people who were brought to him or who camc to him.
I fell in lovc with the Jesus of the Gospels but couldn't find him in any church, so I brought togcthcr a very loose-knit community of people, broken and crushed by thc world as lwas. And lfound Jesus in that comnrunity, sharir.rg the few homes we had, the little money we had; I found Jesus in myscllas lshcltcred and fed people, and in othcr people as they shared their need and pain with rnc. But middte age and a certlin sJti;;J Jno ,ou. ot comfort havc crcpl in, and I have retreated to a safer place, with friends who rvi.ll love me, but not clemand too much; with children who evokc and give love easily. I spend a lot oI timc now seeking healing for physical and emotional pain Ihave laboured undcr f.or ycars, and I spend time learning how to heal disease with herbs. ldon't w:rnt to sufl'er any more. To be grief-stricken and derelict is an honest response to this hcartlcss world, but it is too painful.
I still want to see things and people in the way Jcsus did, to lovc ancl to hcal people through my own closcness to God, but I know l'm no longer willing to pay the price of crucifixion. or, a community wlrcre I am I woutd like to o,ing tog"tl.; ; ;;;.*rrr, not Jesus, but a sister, amongst sisters and brothers of the one Father ancl Molhcr in heaven. An anarchistic, egalitarian, supportive, adaptable community, rvhcrc love and kindness and honesty are of paramount importancc. I need that to bc hcalcd. I think maybe the world needs that to be healed. ncws to thc poor, to bind .l esus came to set free the oppresscd, to bringgood up the broken-hearted, and to pronounce judgement on the rich, thc pe-ople who manipulate or exercise power over other people (there is good ncws also lbr them, bccause they are judged , and shorvn the way). I would like to live and work r.vith people who are committed to doing the same thing.
My way into the Gospel is through recognition and love. lrccogrrisc and love the man,written about as being very close to God, spcaking thc trtrth, living the truth. But, as T.S. Eliot said, "l-lumankind cannot bcar very much rcality". The two pcoplc I knew who thought they were Jesus werc labellcd schizophrcnic. Evcn as I attempt to tear the barriers down I re-erect them. I know that ltcing close to God entails bcing too close to people for comfort.
I have some hope that one day I shall bc able to hear the cries ol clercliction from the hungry, the insane, thc grief-stricketr, and rcspond, not with dcspair but with some kind of God-given strcngth, the same strength that Jesus had. JEAN
WTLDGOOSE
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PARAaTES
0pcn Sniao with, Fd K$tle r <AqP' r(Nfit - r^'Y ,- Mtv{ttgt -AN<Lt<Ap, l^erl.oOtrr, uaC, ' ,qc] '--' T1ro, Wcd,Thun t0am Eo 7pm ge?'attt, EA\pnot, ir. L>PL€|N 7t{r |OFA nXO -rrlF pa.Frt E Yedr((J:
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Publicqtions RADI(RL T6Ju5 r$AN tFcsro
Twe(vp Co.naiq"(ry ,et- t(e ff,(ll{n oF Yciu, tFi fo'day3'L^7,a3e. rfo
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RADICAL X8595 IN MARK
\iood Vews 1" fl.2
srrS/nal
RAD|cAr Xesus trvAiet
ft.
rae
LO 9
rvoRr(RgoK
fu6lrc.r.^r
ao
25
13
OUR LIFE IN THE A
GOSPEL
CREED
Leader: Let us declare our trust in Christ I trust myself to esus Christ; All: GrouP Two Grottp One Calling God Father; Son of a carpenter Creating a new family; people One with his Fermenting the new; Draining the old wine Narrowing the gate; Open to everyone Binding the free; Captives Deliverer of Stirring up strife; peace Bringer of Dividing asunder; Creator of unity Destroying our hopes; Hope for the hopeless Compelling cross-bearers; Crucified for all Going ahead of us. Emptyirrg the tomb ,l
All:
I trust myself through this f esus To the Kingdom he points to, To the Father behind it, ln the Spirit who sustains it, With disciples everywhere who live for it.
URBAN THEOLOGY UNIT
A
COMMITMENT
We commit ourselves
hold to the truth as it is in Jesus, support each other in good and ill, challenge evil witli the power of love, offer the kingdom in political and economic witness, work for the new community of all humanity, and risk ourselves in a Iifestyle of sharing.
to to to to to
EUCHARIST CONGREGAIION
A
BENEDICTION
Hands of Jesus, bless us
Arms of .lesus, uphold
us
Feet of .lesus, lead us Heart of Jesus, burn in us Presence of .f esus, be in our neighbour.
ASHRAM COI'IMUNITY'
RADICAL
JESUS
preferred the poor and outcast, regarded women and men as equals, told people to leave all to follow him, rejecled established Old Testament ideas, opposed authority and powers, was homeless and led a wandering-life.
NTANIFES'TO A Manifesto is a Call ro action. This is Jesus's, Radical .l esus's.
Take it and Live by it!
Other Publications RADICAL
IN
PARABLES
A striking Method 'ESUS- from Parables to Contemporary Mission. by Edward Kessler New City Special No. 4 (Urban Theology Unit), 50p.
RADICAL ,IESUS IN MARK The Today's English Version
- Good News for Modern Man. 40p.
RADICAL ,lESUS WORKBOOK Studies to go with the three publications above. ACT
24.
4Op.
The above publications were originally produced for the first "Radicar Jesus" Campaign in Sheffield, May 1985.
W Editorial Group: Chris Bruce, Frances Dales, John Vincent and Richard Levitt ACT No. 23 (Journal of the Ashram Community), 50p.
, Moira Neish I
