The Messianic Commons: Images of the Messiah After Modernity / David Benjamin Blower

by David Benjamin Blower

Messianic stories run through the Abrahamic faiths and many others besides. Messianism is the religion of the oppressed; the faith of those whose struggle compels them toward alternative futures. Messianism has also become a watchword for visionaries of radical politics, far beyond confessional religious spaces. These sketches explore how we might encounter ourselves differently in the dim light of that illusive how we might reimagine ourselves as ecological creatures, economic agents, and as beings who dance differently with power and life, amidst the many threads of messianic folklore.

146 pages, Paperback

Published November 29, 2024

Reviews

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found so much that was inspiring, encouraging, and good in David Benjamin Blower's 'The Messianic Commons'. The title was enough to draw me in but the text itself is engaging and written in a sort of 'notebook' style that makes some quite challenging concepts easier to tangle with. As a Christian I felt absolutely liberated by the idea that the Messiah does not belong to my religion, but to all of us, and that attempts to 'enclose' the messianic spirit is akin to the Enclosure of the Commons (something which I have studied at some length and continue to grieve over). The book also gave me much inspiration and fuel for speaking out against power unjustly wielded, especially in the Church. I am so pleased that this book came my way. Highly recommended.

[Traynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate a poet’s approach to theology. So much in this book gives language to things I’m reaching for but not quite able to put my finger on—or, if I grasp it, it dissolves like a puff of smoke. DBB’s vision of the messianic commons is both striking and hopeful.