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Why Christians Should Be Leftists
The Sermon on the Mount offers a rousing call to political solidarity—if only we have ears to hear it.
Being a Christian and being a socialist go together for Phil Christman. He explains why in this stirring manifesto, which is part testimony of his own journey out of conservatism, part entertaining introduction to the American left, and part impassioned call to his fellow believers to take a fresh look at their own politics. Christman speaks particularly to Christians who are already uncomfortable with how political leaders on the right leverage sexism, racism, and homophobia. He encourages these Keep going! Apply your moral discernment to capitalism, too!
Demonstrating why he's regarded as one of the best essayists in America, Christman deftly synthesizes politics, theology, pop culture, and ethics in this erudite and lively treatise. Throughout he offers a gentle but firm challenge to Christians who are disillusioned by politics as usual and searching for a new approach to civic life that takes Jesus's teachings seriously.
"I am approaching the social through the personal, by giving a testimony of sorts. You can take the boy out of evangelicalism, but can you really take the evangelicalism out of the boy? Even now, I have to tell the story."
Being a Christian and being a socialist go together for Phil Christman. He explains why in this stirring manifesto, which is part testimony of his own journey out of conservatism, part entertaining introduction to the American left, and part impassioned call to his fellow believers to take a fresh look at their own politics. Christman speaks particularly to Christians who are already uncomfortable with how political leaders on the right leverage sexism, racism, and homophobia. He encourages these Keep going! Apply your moral discernment to capitalism, too!
Demonstrating why he's regarded as one of the best essayists in America, Christman deftly synthesizes politics, theology, pop culture, and ethics in this erudite and lively treatise. Throughout he offers a gentle but firm challenge to Christians who are disillusioned by politics as usual and searching for a new approach to civic life that takes Jesus's teachings seriously.
"I am approaching the social through the personal, by giving a testimony of sorts. You can take the boy out of evangelicalism, but can you really take the evangelicalism out of the boy? Even now, I have to tell the story."
169 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2025
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October 7, 2025
Why Christians Should be Leftists [a review]
Let's start with the obvious: publishing a book entitled Why Christians Should be Leftists at this exact cultural moment, under this administration, takes a lot of chutzpah, regardless of whether the premise excites you or enrages you. Author Phil Christman isn't burying the lede; he's telling you right there in the title what he wants you to take away from this book. So: does he succeed? I'll match his forthrightness and tell you right now that I don't think he quite makes the case.
Before we go any further, it's worth defining the target audience of his book. He's not writing this to MAGA, nor really anyone right of center, I don't think. The tone of the book assumes that you're a Christian who holds left-of-center views about various social issues, but economically you hold relatively conservative views about the goodness of Capitalism.
Why left of center isn't left enough when it comes to economics
For plenty of folks on the right end of the political spectrum, it's becoming increasingly common to refer to anyone even slightly left of center as a "radical leftist," so Christman spends some time upfront defining his terms. This isn't about persuading you to hold vaguely liberal notions in general. Nor even is he merely arguing for Christian support of Elizabeth Warren-esque policies like universal childcare. His goal is to take the Christian who would probably describe themselves as "politically homeless" and beckon them to come all the way leftward past the mainstream Democrats, and to do so because he believes the moral fabric of Christianity requires it.
So why isn't it enough simply not to be on the red team anymore? Christman is careful not to besmirch people in that spot, but he doesn't see it as a morally stable place to remain. We'll get into his biblical argument for why he believes that in a minute, but it's worth highlighting here that while he wants people to move further left on their economics, he's also pragmatic about the need for coalition-building. He critiques his fellow leftists as having "an important failure of imagination" when they abstained from voting for Harris because she wasn't progressive enough about, e.g., Gaza. One can have ideals, but it shouldn't get in the way of political realism. If politics is a game, it's not one where the aim is to keep your hands as unsullied as possible—the goal is to figure out the move that will do the most good for your neighbor. This, incidentally, leads us straight to the heart of Christman's scriptural argument.
Why Christians should be leftists
This book is not about why he thinks people in general should be leftists, but specifically Christians. He gets there by a study of the Beatitudes—a text that for Christman undermines much of Capitalism. The system is predicated upon the notion that if everyone acts in greedy self-interest by capitalizing on every opportunity and pursuing upward mobility, then this will paradoxically result in greater outcomes for everyone. Christman's argument isn't that this doesn't work, but that it isn't Christian.
Jesus does not say, "Blessed are the upwardly mobile, greedily hustling to earn a little more and climb that ladder," but rather, "Blessed are the poor and meek." In Christman's words, "Jesus comes to a brutally hierarchical world and says that the people at the bottom of that hierarchy—the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted, the losers and the suckers—are, somehow, the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven." Jesus is blessing those who prioritize communal good over personal gain. Some would say that these things don't have to be in conflict, and that Capitalism is the rising tide that lifts all boats, while 20th century experiments in Communism left millions starving or dead. It's better than feudalism where those in seats of power controlled nearly all the wealth while serfs had next to nothing and no power to do anything about it. Christman takes issue with these common arguments, though: we want to think that Capitalism is a considerable improvement over medieval serfdom, but is it, really? Someone like Elon Musk earns in 1 second what the average citizen earns per month. Such a mind-blowing wage gap starts to look more like a rebranding of feudalism rather than its replacement.
Christians who operate within a capitalistic society tend to try to observe the Beatitudes by practicing personal generosity with their time, money, and resources. That is obviously better than not doing that, but Christman's contention is that this isn't a serious or honest reading of the Beatitudes. In his view, the kingdom isn't just sprinkles of generosity on the existing economic system, but a radical upending of the entire system itself. "According to Jesus," says Christman, "losers define what humanity is and should be." He's not here to browbeat those who try to do their best within the constraints of Capitalism, but we shouldn't convince ourselves that it's as good as we could possibly ever do in enacting kingdom-oriented economics. And in Christman's view, leftist economic models are more faithful to Jesus's words, so that's why Christians should lean that way.
Why Christman didn't convince me to be a leftist
I genuinely enjoyed reading this book, and it prompted a lot of thinking in me—but ultimately, I must confess that he did not persuade me to be a leftist. For those of us grew up with a Christianity hitched to the GOP, it's a relatively natural thing to back away from that. My concern is that we might inadvertently back ourselves into an equal and opposite position. Imagine a future in which leftists are ascendant and cannot imagine how any Christian of good faith could dissent—all Christians should be leftists!
If the question you're asking is if it's possible for a person to be both a Christian and a leftist, I think this book is a pretty good read. But in our current cultural moment, I'm just not that big a fan of absolutism about what Christians should or should not think about prudential matters. Part of the reason the newly ascendant alt-right is so angry and violent is that they lack the imagination to believe that their opponents could be genuinely walking in good faith. When you think everyone should be X, everyone who isn't is an enemy.
Those are meta comments about the book's agenda and the moment it is being published into, but I also wasn't overwhelmingly persuaded by his material arguments, either. The book's arguments are less clearly delineated than I'm used to in an exegetical book, but my impression is that Christman's primary argument for why Christians should be leftists is a textual/moral one:
1. The Beatitudes turn traditional attitudes about power and upward mobility on their heads—ideas that are fundamental to capitalism
2. Faithfulness means taking this as literally as we can
3. Therefore, nothing except a rejection of capitalism and an embrace of leftist economic goals is enough
There's certainly something to this! There's an irony to upper middle-class Christians insisting that all of Scripture must be taken literally, but then who neuter the Sermon on the Mount into little more than a poignant illustration of how none of us can live up to the demands of the law. Jesus demands things that sound absolutely crazy in the Sermon on the Mount, but maybe that's because he wants this world to look very different than it actually does. To the extent that Christman is challenging his fellow Christians to view monetary and economic considerations through the lens of what the Bible says, I think it's a worthy challenge. I just disagree that nothing besides the far left will morally suffice.
I'm glad I live in a country where someone can publish a book-length case for Christians being leftists. That doesn't mean I want all Christians to be leftists any more than I want all Christians to be one specific kind of conservative, though. I want, instead, for Christians to be united around the essentials while having breathing room in the non-essentials. I'm not advocating for "both sides-ism" or a lukewarm centrism here, but rather for a kind of big tent anti-fundamentalism that gives people latitude to move around a little and work out their own faith with fear and trembling. Every single one of us has changed our minds about this or that over time, and I think we should afford one another the space to do that rather than saying, "Christians should think X about Y" when it comes to how to live out the faith in our world today.
Conclusion
Christman is a generous, warm-hearted author, explicitly giving space in his book for various leftist "tendencies" rather than insisting on a narrow definition. I appreciate that, but at the same time, I can't help but feel like it undercuts his argument. He wants me to be a "leftist" while leaving room for that to mean different things. The very premise of the book is that it isn't enough to simply be left of center or even a mainstream democrat; the thesis is that you as a "politically homeless" Christian should go all the way and be a leftist.
He's welcome to write whatever book he wishes, obviously, but I wish this had been something different. I hoped it might be a call to the right-of-center Christian to embrace Christian virtue in their politics and economics rather than succumbing to the brutality of Trump's anti-Christian, gladiatorial vision. If that's you, I'd honestly probably skip this; I'm not sure that you'd get much out of it. If, instead, you're curious about how one Christian leftist derives his economic views from Scripture, this might be worth your time and attention.
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of a fair, unbiased review.
Let's start with the obvious: publishing a book entitled Why Christians Should be Leftists at this exact cultural moment, under this administration, takes a lot of chutzpah, regardless of whether the premise excites you or enrages you. Author Phil Christman isn't burying the lede; he's telling you right there in the title what he wants you to take away from this book. So: does he succeed? I'll match his forthrightness and tell you right now that I don't think he quite makes the case.
Before we go any further, it's worth defining the target audience of his book. He's not writing this to MAGA, nor really anyone right of center, I don't think. The tone of the book assumes that you're a Christian who holds left-of-center views about various social issues, but economically you hold relatively conservative views about the goodness of Capitalism.
Why left of center isn't left enough when it comes to economics
For plenty of folks on the right end of the political spectrum, it's becoming increasingly common to refer to anyone even slightly left of center as a "radical leftist," so Christman spends some time upfront defining his terms. This isn't about persuading you to hold vaguely liberal notions in general. Nor even is he merely arguing for Christian support of Elizabeth Warren-esque policies like universal childcare. His goal is to take the Christian who would probably describe themselves as "politically homeless" and beckon them to come all the way leftward past the mainstream Democrats, and to do so because he believes the moral fabric of Christianity requires it.
So why isn't it enough simply not to be on the red team anymore? Christman is careful not to besmirch people in that spot, but he doesn't see it as a morally stable place to remain. We'll get into his biblical argument for why he believes that in a minute, but it's worth highlighting here that while he wants people to move further left on their economics, he's also pragmatic about the need for coalition-building. He critiques his fellow leftists as having "an important failure of imagination" when they abstained from voting for Harris because she wasn't progressive enough about, e.g., Gaza. One can have ideals, but it shouldn't get in the way of political realism. If politics is a game, it's not one where the aim is to keep your hands as unsullied as possible—the goal is to figure out the move that will do the most good for your neighbor. This, incidentally, leads us straight to the heart of Christman's scriptural argument.
Why Christians should be leftists
This book is not about why he thinks people in general should be leftists, but specifically Christians. He gets there by a study of the Beatitudes—a text that for Christman undermines much of Capitalism. The system is predicated upon the notion that if everyone acts in greedy self-interest by capitalizing on every opportunity and pursuing upward mobility, then this will paradoxically result in greater outcomes for everyone. Christman's argument isn't that this doesn't work, but that it isn't Christian.
Jesus does not say, "Blessed are the upwardly mobile, greedily hustling to earn a little more and climb that ladder," but rather, "Blessed are the poor and meek." In Christman's words, "Jesus comes to a brutally hierarchical world and says that the people at the bottom of that hierarchy—the poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted, the losers and the suckers—are, somehow, the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven." Jesus is blessing those who prioritize communal good over personal gain. Some would say that these things don't have to be in conflict, and that Capitalism is the rising tide that lifts all boats, while 20th century experiments in Communism left millions starving or dead. It's better than feudalism where those in seats of power controlled nearly all the wealth while serfs had next to nothing and no power to do anything about it. Christman takes issue with these common arguments, though: we want to think that Capitalism is a considerable improvement over medieval serfdom, but is it, really? Someone like Elon Musk earns in 1 second what the average citizen earns per month. Such a mind-blowing wage gap starts to look more like a rebranding of feudalism rather than its replacement.
Christians who operate within a capitalistic society tend to try to observe the Beatitudes by practicing personal generosity with their time, money, and resources. That is obviously better than not doing that, but Christman's contention is that this isn't a serious or honest reading of the Beatitudes. In his view, the kingdom isn't just sprinkles of generosity on the existing economic system, but a radical upending of the entire system itself. "According to Jesus," says Christman, "losers define what humanity is and should be." He's not here to browbeat those who try to do their best within the constraints of Capitalism, but we shouldn't convince ourselves that it's as good as we could possibly ever do in enacting kingdom-oriented economics. And in Christman's view, leftist economic models are more faithful to Jesus's words, so that's why Christians should lean that way.
Why Christman didn't convince me to be a leftist
I genuinely enjoyed reading this book, and it prompted a lot of thinking in me—but ultimately, I must confess that he did not persuade me to be a leftist. For those of us grew up with a Christianity hitched to the GOP, it's a relatively natural thing to back away from that. My concern is that we might inadvertently back ourselves into an equal and opposite position. Imagine a future in which leftists are ascendant and cannot imagine how any Christian of good faith could dissent—all Christians should be leftists!
If the question you're asking is if it's possible for a person to be both a Christian and a leftist, I think this book is a pretty good read. But in our current cultural moment, I'm just not that big a fan of absolutism about what Christians should or should not think about prudential matters. Part of the reason the newly ascendant alt-right is so angry and violent is that they lack the imagination to believe that their opponents could be genuinely walking in good faith. When you think everyone should be X, everyone who isn't is an enemy.
Those are meta comments about the book's agenda and the moment it is being published into, but I also wasn't overwhelmingly persuaded by his material arguments, either. The book's arguments are less clearly delineated than I'm used to in an exegetical book, but my impression is that Christman's primary argument for why Christians should be leftists is a textual/moral one:
1. The Beatitudes turn traditional attitudes about power and upward mobility on their heads—ideas that are fundamental to capitalism
2. Faithfulness means taking this as literally as we can
3. Therefore, nothing except a rejection of capitalism and an embrace of leftist economic goals is enough
There's certainly something to this! There's an irony to upper middle-class Christians insisting that all of Scripture must be taken literally, but then who neuter the Sermon on the Mount into little more than a poignant illustration of how none of us can live up to the demands of the law. Jesus demands things that sound absolutely crazy in the Sermon on the Mount, but maybe that's because he wants this world to look very different than it actually does. To the extent that Christman is challenging his fellow Christians to view monetary and economic considerations through the lens of what the Bible says, I think it's a worthy challenge. I just disagree that nothing besides the far left will morally suffice.
I'm glad I live in a country where someone can publish a book-length case for Christians being leftists. That doesn't mean I want all Christians to be leftists any more than I want all Christians to be one specific kind of conservative, though. I want, instead, for Christians to be united around the essentials while having breathing room in the non-essentials. I'm not advocating for "both sides-ism" or a lukewarm centrism here, but rather for a kind of big tent anti-fundamentalism that gives people latitude to move around a little and work out their own faith with fear and trembling. Every single one of us has changed our minds about this or that over time, and I think we should afford one another the space to do that rather than saying, "Christians should think X about Y" when it comes to how to live out the faith in our world today.
Conclusion
Christman is a generous, warm-hearted author, explicitly giving space in his book for various leftist "tendencies" rather than insisting on a narrow definition. I appreciate that, but at the same time, I can't help but feel like it undercuts his argument. He wants me to be a "leftist" while leaving room for that to mean different things. The very premise of the book is that it isn't enough to simply be left of center or even a mainstream democrat; the thesis is that you as a "politically homeless" Christian should go all the way and be a leftist.
He's welcome to write whatever book he wishes, obviously, but I wish this had been something different. I hoped it might be a call to the right-of-center Christian to embrace Christian virtue in their politics and economics rather than succumbing to the brutality of Trump's anti-Christian, gladiatorial vision. If that's you, I'd honestly probably skip this; I'm not sure that you'd get much out of it. If, instead, you're curious about how one Christian leftist derives his economic views from Scripture, this might be worth your time and attention.
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of a fair, unbiased review.
August 2, 2025
Really fun little book inviting American Christians to consider that the political left is much more resonant with the gospel than the diabolical pact between evangelicalism and conservatism in that country might suggest.
I really like the testimonial conceit of the whole book, I think it mostly works for Christman’s intended audience. As a Canadian reader I have some quibbles with the fairly caricatured critiques of monarchy and would have liked to see more focus on global solidarity building. Leftism, especially Christian leftism, should relativize the idea of America much more than is accomplished here. Overall though, would recommend, especially for the deconstructing crowd.
I really like the testimonial conceit of the whole book, I think it mostly works for Christman’s intended audience. As a Canadian reader I have some quibbles with the fairly caricatured critiques of monarchy and would have liked to see more focus on global solidarity building. Leftism, especially Christian leftism, should relativize the idea of America much more than is accomplished here. Overall though, would recommend, especially for the deconstructing crowd.
October 25, 2025
This is well worth reading. It is insightful, entertaining, and exactly the kind of conversation that needs to be had in so many circles right now, whether you agree with him or not. A winsome, theologically literate, historically knowledgeable case for Christian leftist politics that is clear-eyed about the goals and possibilities of politics right now. There’s great advice here about what to prioritize (care for the poor and oppose nativism), how to live, and what to read. For all those wearied by the widespread Christian capitulation to fascism, reading this feels like a refreshing convo with a Christian who gets it. I find his discussion of enemies to be helpful and clarifying—and here he does a great job connecting the dots between soteriology and politics.
All of this said—my take on these questions follows the outlines of MacIntyre’s thought (that is, tradition-dependent Thomism, Marxist critique of the modern state and market, and localist vision of political and economic life), and it’s not clear to me whether and how much he has read Mac.
All of this said—my take on these questions follows the outlines of MacIntyre’s thought (that is, tradition-dependent Thomism, Marxist critique of the modern state and market, and localist vision of political and economic life), and it’s not clear to me whether and how much he has read Mac.
November 29, 2025
Got an advanced copy of this on accident, how did they know that this is all I think about?
April 29, 2025
I keep talking to this book about everyone, including my conservative husband and parents. I think even they might find this compelling. This is a book that could sway even antagonistic minds. So, so good. Also, he’s really funny.
September 29, 2025
Great, fun read.
Also, check James K. A Smith's review for The Christian Century ; for a take that's a slightly critical, read Brad East on First Things. In his words:
In other words, I need to shape myself (or rather, let God shape me) into the kind of person who will, in the end, not be mad if universalism is true—if, after eons of repentance, eons of apologizing in the afterlife to the hundreds of thousands of people who were killed by foreign policy he advocated, knowing that it would kill them, Henry Kissinger is finally received by God. God’s preferred form of justice is repentance and reconciliation: that’s what the book of Genesis tells us when it ends, after telling the story of the first sins, the first murder, the first apocalyptic destruction of the world, and the first cities and empires, with the reconciliation of Joseph and his would-be murderers, his brothers, and of those murderers’ material salvation at the hands of the same state apparatus that would one day persecute and enslave their descendants.
This stuff is complicated.
Also, check James K. A Smith's review for The Christian Century ; for a take that's a slightly critical, read Brad East on First Things. In his words:
If Christman’s Christian leftism sounds deflationary, that’s because it is. He’s neither utopian nor revolutionary. But he does think the lives of the poor can be improved. And he wants Christian readers to understand that, given the structural forces that maintain the status quo, politics is the primary mechanism of that improvement.
December 8, 2025
Rating: 4.75 / 5 ⭐
So, this is a great read; however, I don't really know who the target audience is for this other than like... me. But even still, Christman is much more comfortable with the progressive/liberal sides of the church and generally seems to believe that moving left politically means accepting all of liberal theology. Something, I don't agree with (though I do agree that the conservative/evangelical factions have historically done a bad job dealing with most of those cultural issues, and today many seem to have gone off the rails completely). This review from Christianity Today puts things much better than I can and it is encouraging that more Christians are desiring a more leftist form of political thought. An Unpersuasive Plea for Christians to Swing Left I really want Matthew Loftus to finish his document titled: "Why Christian Conservatives Should Be Leftists and Leftists Should Be Conservative Christians." It sounds almost exactly my current position.
Regardless, I agree with Loftus, that this books biggest flaw is that it isn't going to convince a Republican Christian to start reading Marx and Engles, even if they're a never-Trump Republican. I think there's room for a book to make a convincing argument like that, but this isn't it. You have to, at least, be comfortable with leftist ideas before starting to accept what Christman presents here. But for me, it was an edifying read.
Content Warnings (not exhaustive):
-Graphic:
-Moderate:
-Minor: mentions of rape and crimes against humanity, some profanity
So, this is a great read; however, I don't really know who the target audience is for this other than like... me. But even still, Christman is much more comfortable with the progressive/liberal sides of the church and generally seems to believe that moving left politically means accepting all of liberal theology. Something, I don't agree with (though I do agree that the conservative/evangelical factions have historically done a bad job dealing with most of those cultural issues, and today many seem to have gone off the rails completely). This review from Christianity Today puts things much better than I can and it is encouraging that more Christians are desiring a more leftist form of political thought. An Unpersuasive Plea for Christians to Swing Left I really want Matthew Loftus to finish his document titled: "Why Christian Conservatives Should Be Leftists and Leftists Should Be Conservative Christians." It sounds almost exactly my current position.
Regardless, I agree with Loftus, that this books biggest flaw is that it isn't going to convince a Republican Christian to start reading Marx and Engles, even if they're a never-Trump Republican. I think there's room for a book to make a convincing argument like that, but this isn't it. You have to, at least, be comfortable with leftist ideas before starting to accept what Christman presents here. But for me, it was an edifying read.
Content Warnings (not exhaustive):
-Graphic:
-Moderate:
-Minor: mentions of rape and crimes against humanity, some profanity
Read
January 10, 2026I had expectations for this book that ultimately were not met for several reasons. Nonetheless, the author does offer a number of observations that may serve as helpful points of reflection, particularly for readers considering how current political and economic systems pursue progress.
I found myself wishing for more sustained engagement with how the Sermon on the Mount might specifically support or illustrate a non-capitalist vision of society. To that point, I believe the book would have been strengthened by the inclusion of a trained theologian who could more thoroughly engage both the Sermon on the Mount and the broader biblical canon in relation to claims about societies that lean toward socialist frameworks.
Regardless, I would still recommend the book as a short and accessible read that invites reflection.
I found myself wishing for more sustained engagement with how the Sermon on the Mount might specifically support or illustrate a non-capitalist vision of society. To that point, I believe the book would have been strengthened by the inclusion of a trained theologian who could more thoroughly engage both the Sermon on the Mount and the broader biblical canon in relation to claims about societies that lean toward socialist frameworks.
Regardless, I would still recommend the book as a short and accessible read that invites reflection.
October 29, 2025
This wasn’t quite the book I was hungering for, through no fault of its own. It’s addressed, essentially, to the average milquetoast democrat and tries to lead that person further left.
I think I was looking for a theological book with a little leftism, and I got a leftist book with a little Christianity. Not bad, not revolutionary.
I think I was looking for a theological book with a little leftism, and I got a leftist book with a little Christianity. Not bad, not revolutionary.
December 30, 2025
A superb testimony as to why believing Christians should embrace a truly universal solidarity with the poor, with their enemies, with everyone--and why that, necessarily, should also mean that they would fine themselves on the (socialist) left. More--much more--here, if feel so inclined.
October 25, 2025
Interesting perspective that will not be widely welcomed in evangelical America. But Christman makes some good points. What I appreciated most was the perspective that there are more ways to vote as a Christian than republicanism and nationalism. Placing the sermon on the mount at the center of our politics makes a lot of sense as followers of Jesus.
September 24, 2025
The first third or so (this book is very short; I read it in a few hours) is spent meticulously setting the table. This is a crucial thing to get right when writing for evangelical/evangelical-adjacent folks—we take people talking about us very personally! His prospective audience, I’m sure, pulls from a fairly big tent within American evangelicalism, so the book works on two registers: on one hand, it’s a “this is why I’m like this” explainer for conservative evangelicals who are confused or concerned by people like me who yell about trans rights and hold strong anti-billionaire sentiment. On the other hand, it’s an invitation for evangelicals and evangelical-adjacents who are, for whatever myriad reasons, disillusioned with conservative politics to not settle for the Democrats or liberal politics. It’s not just that Trump is bad (to say something perhaps too obvious to remark on); it’s that a system that is built on such terrifyingly stark inequities of wealth and power is always going to leave the majority of folks under the thumb of a powerful few. And we shouldn’t just hope that the powerful few in control during our lifetimes are kindly!
Now, what’s so Christian about leftism? If you grew up evangelical, even the suggestion that things could be such probably triggers some gut-twisting. But don’t worry, you’re in good hands. There are two primary hermeneutic tools he employs to explore the possibility of being a Christian leftist: Perichoresis and physics.
He shares his testimony, in which he is in college surrounded and included in a group of folks he, at the time, recognizes as “losers” reading the Sermon on the Mount together. During this reading, he is overcome by a profound sense that, “each of these people was a subject that a person could love, and was capable of giving love to others, and was therefore infinitely precious and infinitely interesting.”4 This understanding of every person’s infinite lovability and capacity to love undergirds his whole reading of Christianity. While Christman never uses this term, I read here what theologians call the “perichoretic” nature of the Trinity. It’s a concept that the Triune God is in an eternal dance of love, constantly giving and receiving love in Godself—a dance that all of creation is created for and invited into.
And with that profound understanding of our creaturely inclusion in the eternal dance of love, the laws of physics, the material reality of consequence. We can, if we’re to take the teachings of Jesus seriously, judge the quality of something by its results, the fruit it bears. And capitalism… well, I’ll spoil it: the fruit it bears is not good. Captialism, he says in elegant simplicity, is “the right to property run amok.” I won’t get into all of his rationale, which is most of the second half of the book (go read it!), but I do want to highlight one basic formulation he makes that I think is quite powerful: If you think feudalism is a bad way for society to function, consider that the basic ways that power (near interchangeable with “wealth”) flows and is controlled nowadays is not terribly different compared to how it did under feudalism in Europe in the Middle Ages. That’s such an effective, easy-to-grasp conceptualization of the problem, and I think it’s really worth reading his full thoughts on the matter.
These two realities—the dance of love and the fruit our systems bear—leave Christian leftists in a constant tension. Leftism offers a powerful analytic for the structures that shape how we experience this world, and while Christianity is often amenable to that analytic, it also provides some moral insight and guardrails for the goodness that can often be easily enough sloughed off when push comes to shove. And so, in closing Christman offers a meditation on enemies and on God’s universal solidarity. He acknowledges that we have enemies (something evangelicals don’t always like to acknowledge!)—those who stand for violence, dominance, control; the ones who believe that “might makes right,” the ones who love to villainize anyone different than themselves; Allen Dulles and Henry Kissinger; billionaires—and he argues for God’s solidarity with us all. That is not to say that there is no difference between oppressor and oppressed, but that justice means liberation for all—liberation from being producers of bad fruit and recipients of bad fruit. And that is radical.
For a lot of folks in evangelicalism, this will not be compelling enough. And that’s fine. He’s clear up front about who might be receptive to what he’s saying, and he invites anyone else to sit back and watch. He’s also quite honest about where he stands and does not waste much time on elaborate justifications—it’s not an apologetic or an academic tome. Wherever you stand, though, it’s worthwhile to read such a generous, winsome approach to the often toxic amalgam of religion and politics. It’s been a long road that led me to attend my first DSA general meeting last Saturday(!), and Christman is undoubtedly a part of “what radicalized me,” as they say. We need voices like his, who, when we ask if the Love of Christ makes a material difference, can say with humble moral clarity: “Yes.”
Now, what’s so Christian about leftism? If you grew up evangelical, even the suggestion that things could be such probably triggers some gut-twisting. But don’t worry, you’re in good hands. There are two primary hermeneutic tools he employs to explore the possibility of being a Christian leftist: Perichoresis and physics.
He shares his testimony, in which he is in college surrounded and included in a group of folks he, at the time, recognizes as “losers” reading the Sermon on the Mount together. During this reading, he is overcome by a profound sense that, “each of these people was a subject that a person could love, and was capable of giving love to others, and was therefore infinitely precious and infinitely interesting.”4 This understanding of every person’s infinite lovability and capacity to love undergirds his whole reading of Christianity. While Christman never uses this term, I read here what theologians call the “perichoretic” nature of the Trinity. It’s a concept that the Triune God is in an eternal dance of love, constantly giving and receiving love in Godself—a dance that all of creation is created for and invited into.
And with that profound understanding of our creaturely inclusion in the eternal dance of love, the laws of physics, the material reality of consequence. We can, if we’re to take the teachings of Jesus seriously, judge the quality of something by its results, the fruit it bears. And capitalism… well, I’ll spoil it: the fruit it bears is not good. Captialism, he says in elegant simplicity, is “the right to property run amok.” I won’t get into all of his rationale, which is most of the second half of the book (go read it!), but I do want to highlight one basic formulation he makes that I think is quite powerful: If you think feudalism is a bad way for society to function, consider that the basic ways that power (near interchangeable with “wealth”) flows and is controlled nowadays is not terribly different compared to how it did under feudalism in Europe in the Middle Ages. That’s such an effective, easy-to-grasp conceptualization of the problem, and I think it’s really worth reading his full thoughts on the matter.
These two realities—the dance of love and the fruit our systems bear—leave Christian leftists in a constant tension. Leftism offers a powerful analytic for the structures that shape how we experience this world, and while Christianity is often amenable to that analytic, it also provides some moral insight and guardrails for the goodness that can often be easily enough sloughed off when push comes to shove. And so, in closing Christman offers a meditation on enemies and on God’s universal solidarity. He acknowledges that we have enemies (something evangelicals don’t always like to acknowledge!)—those who stand for violence, dominance, control; the ones who believe that “might makes right,” the ones who love to villainize anyone different than themselves; Allen Dulles and Henry Kissinger; billionaires—and he argues for God’s solidarity with us all. That is not to say that there is no difference between oppressor and oppressed, but that justice means liberation for all—liberation from being producers of bad fruit and recipients of bad fruit. And that is radical.
For a lot of folks in evangelicalism, this will not be compelling enough. And that’s fine. He’s clear up front about who might be receptive to what he’s saying, and he invites anyone else to sit back and watch. He’s also quite honest about where he stands and does not waste much time on elaborate justifications—it’s not an apologetic or an academic tome. Wherever you stand, though, it’s worthwhile to read such a generous, winsome approach to the often toxic amalgam of religion and politics. It’s been a long road that led me to attend my first DSA general meeting last Saturday(!), and Christman is undoubtedly a part of “what radicalized me,” as they say. We need voices like his, who, when we ask if the Love of Christ makes a material difference, can say with humble moral clarity: “Yes.”
January 4, 2026
The title is intentionally provocative, of course, and it’s a good indication of what this book is like. It’s folksy in style, often deliberately outrageous, and lands some very good punches. I enjoyed reading it and will probably do so again.
I do, however, have serious reservations.
First, the book should really be called ‘Why American Christians Should Be Leftists.’ I knew the author was an American, and I expected his argument to reflect this, but I didn’t expect the book to be entirely taken up with American issues. I have read many books on multinational subjects written by Americans, and most of them have made an effort to at least acknowledge the existence of a wider audience. But Christman makes no reference at all, for instance, to the history of Christian socialism in the UK (which is long and rich), or to the fact that the first socialist premier of a Canadian province (and the father of Canadian medicare) was a Baptist pastor. The title gives no hint of this American obsession. I found it disappointing.
Second, I found his perfunctory treatment of Christian pacifism very disappointing. You’d never guess from his presentation that pacifism was the majority position in the early church right up to the time (surprise, surprise) when Christianity was co-opted by the Roman Empire. He professes his respect for the pacifist tradition, but then basically accuses it of a literalistic and simplistic interpretation of Jesus’ teachings. He tries to make the case for the just war position, but never addresses the problem that at no time in recent history has the just war theory ever either prevented a war or influenced the conduct of a war. If the point is that pacifism is impractical and ineffective—well, let’s talk about just war theory in the same light.
Third, I found myself getting irritated by his tendency to overuse footnotes. I like it when footnotes lead you to reference materials; I’m not so keen on them when they’re opportunities to make side comments or (even worse) crack bad jokes. To me, this just breaks up the flow of thought; it means I have to go back to the beginning of the paragraph after I’ve read the footnote, so I can pick up the argument again. Unless it’s a reference, find a way to put it in the text, or leave it out.
Finally, as a Canadian, I found his treatment of monarchy rather facile. I give him credit where credit is due: he makes the excellent point that the modern system of government by rich elites (which is basically what Americans experience, whether their governments are Republican or Democrat) is basically monarchy by another name. But some acknowledgement of the fact that some of the most stable socialist democracies in the world today—the Scandinavian countries—are monarchies would have been welcome. As I said, I enjoyed the book and will probably read it again. But for the reasons given above, I’ll only give it three stars out of five.
I do, however, have serious reservations.
First, the book should really be called ‘Why American Christians Should Be Leftists.’ I knew the author was an American, and I expected his argument to reflect this, but I didn’t expect the book to be entirely taken up with American issues. I have read many books on multinational subjects written by Americans, and most of them have made an effort to at least acknowledge the existence of a wider audience. But Christman makes no reference at all, for instance, to the history of Christian socialism in the UK (which is long and rich), or to the fact that the first socialist premier of a Canadian province (and the father of Canadian medicare) was a Baptist pastor. The title gives no hint of this American obsession. I found it disappointing.
Second, I found his perfunctory treatment of Christian pacifism very disappointing. You’d never guess from his presentation that pacifism was the majority position in the early church right up to the time (surprise, surprise) when Christianity was co-opted by the Roman Empire. He professes his respect for the pacifist tradition, but then basically accuses it of a literalistic and simplistic interpretation of Jesus’ teachings. He tries to make the case for the just war position, but never addresses the problem that at no time in recent history has the just war theory ever either prevented a war or influenced the conduct of a war. If the point is that pacifism is impractical and ineffective—well, let’s talk about just war theory in the same light.
Third, I found myself getting irritated by his tendency to overuse footnotes. I like it when footnotes lead you to reference materials; I’m not so keen on them when they’re opportunities to make side comments or (even worse) crack bad jokes. To me, this just breaks up the flow of thought; it means I have to go back to the beginning of the paragraph after I’ve read the footnote, so I can pick up the argument again. Unless it’s a reference, find a way to put it in the text, or leave it out.
Finally, as a Canadian, I found his treatment of monarchy rather facile. I give him credit where credit is due: he makes the excellent point that the modern system of government by rich elites (which is basically what Americans experience, whether their governments are Republican or Democrat) is basically monarchy by another name. But some acknowledgement of the fact that some of the most stable socialist democracies in the world today—the Scandinavian countries—are monarchies would have been welcome. As I said, I enjoyed the book and will probably read it again. But for the reasons given above, I’ll only give it three stars out of five.
October 19, 2025
I don't know that I agree 100% with everything Phil Christman writes here, but the book is so generously written that I don't think he expects me too nor that he always agrees with himself. It's a thoughtful, witty and graceful examination of how the Sermon on the Mount affected his political leanings, why Christians should be very wary of any system that allows billionaires to exist, and lets Christ's commands to love our enemies and care for the vulnerable both serve as an engine for leftism and a critique for when its impulses go beyond love of neighbor.
You don't need to walk away from this book a socialist -- I don't know that I'm quite there (I'm probably still best described as a Social Democrat with socialist curiosity). But if the last 10 years have convinced you that our nation idolizes capitalism at the expense of humanity and care, this is a must-read, and it got me thinking about my positions on things more than any other political book I've read in a while.
You don't need to walk away from this book a socialist -- I don't know that I'm quite there (I'm probably still best described as a Social Democrat with socialist curiosity). But if the last 10 years have convinced you that our nation idolizes capitalism at the expense of humanity and care, this is a must-read, and it got me thinking about my positions on things more than any other political book I've read in a while.
September 19, 2025
"Why Christians Should Be Leftist" is a text I will wholeheartedly recommend to friends and family.
Phil Christman articulates ideas I’ve been reflecting on for a long time. I’ve often wondered whether Jesus’s "loser" message of radical love aligns with the values of the political left. While this connection has always felt natural to me, I’ve found it’s not as apparent to others within my faith community.
Christman does an excellent job defining what politics really means and breaks down the key principles of leftist thought. His insights make a compelling case for how these values are not only compatible with Christianity but are often deeply rooted in it. I know this will be a book I return to in the future.
Phil Christman articulates ideas I’ve been reflecting on for a long time. I’ve often wondered whether Jesus’s "loser" message of radical love aligns with the values of the political left. While this connection has always felt natural to me, I’ve found it’s not as apparent to others within my faith community.
Christman does an excellent job defining what politics really means and breaks down the key principles of leftist thought. His insights make a compelling case for how these values are not only compatible with Christianity but are often deeply rooted in it. I know this will be a book I return to in the future.
November 21, 2025
Witty, charming, and relatable. Touches on a lot of my own issues with Christianity in America and how it doesn’t follow Christ. It’s a good jumping off point for people unsure of where their faith takes them in their worldviews. It provides context and extra readings to bring a well-rounded discussion of what Jesus’s love would look like in our world today. No surprise, it’d be no different than what the gospels tell us he did 2000 years ago.
A critique of this would be that a lot of this is simply surface level stuff. But he invites you and provides resources for you to dive deeper into these conversations with his own works, his colleagues’ and faith leaders’ works, and of course the classic leftist writers and thinkers.
A critique of this would be that a lot of this is simply surface level stuff. But he invites you and provides resources for you to dive deeper into these conversations with his own works, his colleagues’ and faith leaders’ works, and of course the classic leftist writers and thinkers.
November 10, 2025
I really like Phil Christman. His essay, “How to Be A Man” in the Hedgehog Review is one of those pieces of writing that I think about nearly every week. I read this book because I love Phil Christman. There is a lot to value in this book. The chapters on capitalism, the nature of work, the limits of liberalism, and kings were really great. Many of the other chapters, I thought, were weakened by Christman’s snark. I may not disagree with much of what Christman says, but he uses language or modes of thought that I am uncomfortable with. This may not be your cup of tea if you aren’t all that political, but it is an interesting read.
May 9, 2025
Occasionally I'm given an opportunity to get an early copy of a book in exchange for an honest review of it. I was able to read an early e-copy of Phil Christman's upcoming book, "Why Christians Should Be Leftists." Let's talk about it!
Why did I want to read this book? I don't identify as a Leftist, but it is also near impossible to avoid how practicing Christianity interacts with an intersects various political beliefs and positions. I've read a number of books of how Christians can or should interact with politics from the viewpoints of conservatism, centrism, liberalism, non-participation, anarchism, and a few others so this one also grabbed my attention.
I want to start off with a few things I didn't enjoy about this book.
First, I'm not a big fan of "Should's" especially in this realm of discussion. Perhaps that's me being stubborn, but I think the title of a book matters a lot and there is a big difference between "can" and "should." "Should" feels much more like a lecture where I'm expected to choose a certain conclusion or be wrong. In contrast "can" opens it up as a possibility, and for those who might be opposed to the idea of a Christian leftist, it at least gives off the appearance of trying to persuade someone to consider something rather than stating it is what one must be.
That brings me to my second negative, and that is that to some extent, I had a hard time figuring out who this book was written for. It seems to be written towards people who feel disconnected from a Republican politics, but it did not feel like the book was fully written to address their needs, questions, or qualms with where they had been politically. As someone who often feels "politically lost" within American Christianity, I did not feel as if anything was written in a way that really connected to me.
My third negative about the book was what seemed to be a consistent practice of taking jabs at Republicans and Democrats. I have my qualms about both, and certainly sometimes there might be things I get a laugh about, but especially in a book trying to persuade me to think about an approach wildly different from what one might find in many churches, it was off-putting. The constant jabs already present in most political discourse made me feel like I was right back in the middle of what I'm tired of. It felt like "just more of the same" but from a different side.
But what did I like about the book? It took about half of the book (it's a fairly short book overall) to really get to what felt like the meat of the book, but once there it did give plenty to think about. Starting in the chapter "Capitalism and LIberalism," Christman began to give plenty to think about concerning how our American politics and economy tend to work, the concerns he has about them, and what a further left approach has to offer in response to this. I especially appreciated that Christman did a pretty good job at connecting these questions to concerns that transcended political alignment and focused more on questions of morality, care for the "least of these," and making sure the everyday citizenry has more say than a small group of billionaires or certain elite politicians.
Second, I really appreciated the humility that Christman showed in his being a Leftist. He spent a good (and needed) amount of time looking at the broad umbrella that "Leftism" includes and was able to be honest about the various problems and weaknesses in many of these groups and often Leftism overall, especially that much Leftism is mostly if not totally void of faith, especially Christian faith, and what that can mean negatively about the movement. To me at least, the ability to confidently speak about what you have to offer while also being able to be openly honest about your shortcomings is an important thing.
Third, with the issues I have with this book, I do also believe that it can be a great starting point for deeper thinking about politics, whether you identify as a Leftist or not. Christman references a number of other works that look at Leftist thoughts more deeply and more specifically that would be good reads for those wanting to look at various issues more closely. In the closing chapters he also provides a lot of great thoughts on what it means to be a 'neighbor' especially in relationship to your 'enemies' along with easy and practical ways to be involved in your communities as a neighbor in even the most simple ways. To me, the closing chapters were pretty inspirational towards caring for others.
Finally, I greatly appreciated how much the Christian faith was woven through this book. Though Christman and I would obviously have some differences in parts of what we think following Jesus means, I feel confident in saying that his work to follow Christ shapes his interactions with politics more than his politics shapes how he interacts with Christ. It takes seriously the teachings of Jesus through the Sermon on the Mount and his parables into how we see and interact with the world around us, and has plenty of ways to challenge us to do the same.
Overall, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. A slow start with some unappealing writing styles put me off for maybe 2/5ths of the book, but the rest at least provided a lot for me to think about regardless of where I might land in the political realm, and left me with plenty of challenges as well.
Again, I was provided an early e-copy of this book in order to be part of the launch team.
Why did I want to read this book? I don't identify as a Leftist, but it is also near impossible to avoid how practicing Christianity interacts with an intersects various political beliefs and positions. I've read a number of books of how Christians can or should interact with politics from the viewpoints of conservatism, centrism, liberalism, non-participation, anarchism, and a few others so this one also grabbed my attention.
I want to start off with a few things I didn't enjoy about this book.
First, I'm not a big fan of "Should's" especially in this realm of discussion. Perhaps that's me being stubborn, but I think the title of a book matters a lot and there is a big difference between "can" and "should." "Should" feels much more like a lecture where I'm expected to choose a certain conclusion or be wrong. In contrast "can" opens it up as a possibility, and for those who might be opposed to the idea of a Christian leftist, it at least gives off the appearance of trying to persuade someone to consider something rather than stating it is what one must be.
That brings me to my second negative, and that is that to some extent, I had a hard time figuring out who this book was written for. It seems to be written towards people who feel disconnected from a Republican politics, but it did not feel like the book was fully written to address their needs, questions, or qualms with where they had been politically. As someone who often feels "politically lost" within American Christianity, I did not feel as if anything was written in a way that really connected to me.
My third negative about the book was what seemed to be a consistent practice of taking jabs at Republicans and Democrats. I have my qualms about both, and certainly sometimes there might be things I get a laugh about, but especially in a book trying to persuade me to think about an approach wildly different from what one might find in many churches, it was off-putting. The constant jabs already present in most political discourse made me feel like I was right back in the middle of what I'm tired of. It felt like "just more of the same" but from a different side.
But what did I like about the book? It took about half of the book (it's a fairly short book overall) to really get to what felt like the meat of the book, but once there it did give plenty to think about. Starting in the chapter "Capitalism and LIberalism," Christman began to give plenty to think about concerning how our American politics and economy tend to work, the concerns he has about them, and what a further left approach has to offer in response to this. I especially appreciated that Christman did a pretty good job at connecting these questions to concerns that transcended political alignment and focused more on questions of morality, care for the "least of these," and making sure the everyday citizenry has more say than a small group of billionaires or certain elite politicians.
Second, I really appreciated the humility that Christman showed in his being a Leftist. He spent a good (and needed) amount of time looking at the broad umbrella that "Leftism" includes and was able to be honest about the various problems and weaknesses in many of these groups and often Leftism overall, especially that much Leftism is mostly if not totally void of faith, especially Christian faith, and what that can mean negatively about the movement. To me at least, the ability to confidently speak about what you have to offer while also being able to be openly honest about your shortcomings is an important thing.
Third, with the issues I have with this book, I do also believe that it can be a great starting point for deeper thinking about politics, whether you identify as a Leftist or not. Christman references a number of other works that look at Leftist thoughts more deeply and more specifically that would be good reads for those wanting to look at various issues more closely. In the closing chapters he also provides a lot of great thoughts on what it means to be a 'neighbor' especially in relationship to your 'enemies' along with easy and practical ways to be involved in your communities as a neighbor in even the most simple ways. To me, the closing chapters were pretty inspirational towards caring for others.
Finally, I greatly appreciated how much the Christian faith was woven through this book. Though Christman and I would obviously have some differences in parts of what we think following Jesus means, I feel confident in saying that his work to follow Christ shapes his interactions with politics more than his politics shapes how he interacts with Christ. It takes seriously the teachings of Jesus through the Sermon on the Mount and his parables into how we see and interact with the world around us, and has plenty of ways to challenge us to do the same.
Overall, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. A slow start with some unappealing writing styles put me off for maybe 2/5ths of the book, but the rest at least provided a lot for me to think about regardless of where I might land in the political realm, and left me with plenty of challenges as well.
Again, I was provided an early e-copy of this book in order to be part of the launch team.
September 14, 2025
It’s a good book. Will it convince anyone? Who knows. But it is a valiant and valuable effort, one which speaks with clear-eyed honesty about why followers of the Risen Christ should find themselves, if they are really honest with themselves, on the political left. Read if you are a Christian who is finding yourself suddenly politically homeless in the modern world; read if you are a leftist who wants to understand why suddenly you keep having churchgoers show up at your DSA meetings; read if you are already a Christian Leftist and you just want to read somebody else explaining why.
October 12, 2025
As someone who, over the course of time, has wandered broadly into the sparse universe of the Christian Left in the United States, I found this book compelling as an argument to present to others as to my reasoning for my leftward drift. Christman takes a whimsical yet serious approach to offering his argument, centered and rooted in taking the words of Jesus Christ in His Sermon on the Mount seriously and literally. For anyone who finds themselves politically adrift, but dissatisfied with their options in American politics, this book could be a wonderful aid.
January 3, 2026
I got a great deal out of this book. Many pages were either enormously compelling, deeply clarifying, or some combination of the two. A handful are passages I’d like to commit to memory, even. At times, the connection between Christianity and leftism felt somewhat disjointed, and I can imagine some readers being thrown by the testimonial conceit at the heart of the book. For me, though, that is one of its central strengths: everything the author writes feels like hard-earned conviction rather than the product of someone sitting behind a computer loosely theorizing a quixotic vision of the good life. On the whole, WCSBL is well worth the (minimal) investment...especially if you’re seeking a faith enlivened by serious social analysis and moral imagination that doesn’t stop short of material conditions, policy, and power.
The footnotes are frequently hilarious, too!
The footnotes are frequently hilarious, too!
January 14, 2026
A good reminder of some of the reasons I’ve moved left since the dawn of the Trump era (though really before that, inchoately). I liked the closing connection between leftist solidarity and Christian universalism.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading mostly fiction and my non-fiction muscles have atrophied, but I had trouble finding a logical thread that held all the different chapters together. Maybe they were meant to be a little sporadic and that’s fine, because Christman is engaging and fun to read.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading mostly fiction and my non-fiction muscles have atrophied, but I had trouble finding a logical thread that held all the different chapters together. Maybe they were meant to be a little sporadic and that’s fine, because Christman is engaging and fun to read.
November 5, 2025
Accessible, thought-provoking book which challenges Christians to live according to the values espoused in the Sermon on the Mount. Christman asks, specifically and directly: "What does that mean?" Well, giving money to people poorer than we are. Working for environmental and economic justice. Loving all of our neighbors (after we truly get to know them.). He points out the ways in which capitalism always treats people like machines, telling us that our worth is in what we produce.
November 22, 2025
Christman makes a fantastic case on why Christians shouldn’t be conservatives, or even liberals, but full-on leftists, and I agree with him. He uses true Christian values and axioms, such as “everyone is our neighbor” and “we should help those in need,” to persuade us to move away from heartless capitalism and imperialism and towards socialism and liberation.
September 23, 2025
"When we stand in solidarity with each other, we are imitating God, who became a person -- a helpless baby -- in solidarity with all of us."
September 23, 2025
A beautiful and compelling little book on the ethical vision of the Sermon on the Mount as related to our political climate today.
Video review here: https://youtu.be/eF4ltdat6d8
Video review here: https://youtu.be/eF4ltdat6d8
October 26, 2025
The argument is a bit all over the place, but well-written and worth a read. Even if just to consider a different POV.
August 27, 2025
I remember being on a christian mission trip in my youth building a house for a family in another country and feeling odd about it. Sure, you’re left with a sense of fulfilment, but that’s not the point and that felt like the problem. Why did I leave justified when, before we came, the family that had no house was happier than most of us were in our own lives? So, was all our goodness for self-gratification? I guess that’s what mission work is.
As the author refers to the words of Amartya Sen, “If you are a single-minded egoist or a raving altruist or a class conscious militant, you will appear to be maximizing your own utility in this enchanted world of definitions.”
This doesn’t read like a book, but more of a cross between an essay and a TedTalk. The writing is sarcastic and philosophical while looking to be accessible/palatable to readers who may not have first hand knowledge of political-economists and theologians. The writer makes a point to note, “Voting in a two-party system is a strategy decision, rather than a matter of identity.” As a Canadian whose political system runs fairly similar to the American system, this point should resonate with a lot of people. I hope the pointedness of the writing helps drive ideas like these home.
I found ihe writing style a bit patchy, where the writer had a lot of important things to say packed together really tightly, seeming to divert from the original thesis. As the work continues, the writing style is stronger (or I became comfortable with it).
As the author refers to the words of Amartya Sen, “If you are a single-minded egoist or a raving altruist or a class conscious militant, you will appear to be maximizing your own utility in this enchanted world of definitions.”
This doesn’t read like a book, but more of a cross between an essay and a TedTalk. The writing is sarcastic and philosophical while looking to be accessible/palatable to readers who may not have first hand knowledge of political-economists and theologians. The writer makes a point to note, “Voting in a two-party system is a strategy decision, rather than a matter of identity.” As a Canadian whose political system runs fairly similar to the American system, this point should resonate with a lot of people. I hope the pointedness of the writing helps drive ideas like these home.
I found ihe writing style a bit patchy, where the writer had a lot of important things to say packed together really tightly, seeming to divert from the original thesis. As the work continues, the writing style is stronger (or I became comfortable with it).
August 18, 2025
During the 2020 presidential election I voted for the first time. Before that, I never followed politics, and I would have thought that I was more of a Republican. I was somewhat on the side of controlling our borders better--but never really gave it a lot of thought. After having a front-row seat to the craziness that came from Trump while I was in lock down during COVID and watched a lot of television to see what was going on, I explored where our country was and where it could be.
I no longer feel that being a Christian is an automatic reason to vote Republican. In fact, I can't see where the way Trump and others behave is anything like the way Jesus told us to behave. The name calling, revengeful acts and treatment of humans in general is so wrong, I find it hard to believe that all these things are widely accepted.
Many Christians have chosen abortion as the reason they would not vote for Kamala. I can't say I truly understood why people choose that option, but after researching late-term abortions, I discovered that most extreme birth defects--often leading to a baby's inability to live, don't show up until 20 weeks, and that is the main reason women have late-term abortions. How can I say that should not be a choice? Who wants to carry a dead or dying baby to term?
AND I really do feel Christians are missing an opportunity to show the love a Jesus and His grace to everyone who goes through such a difficult decision making process!
Truly, all the judging Christians do is turning people away from the church when we should have empathy for others.
This is a much needed book for this time.
I no longer feel that being a Christian is an automatic reason to vote Republican. In fact, I can't see where the way Trump and others behave is anything like the way Jesus told us to behave. The name calling, revengeful acts and treatment of humans in general is so wrong, I find it hard to believe that all these things are widely accepted.
Many Christians have chosen abortion as the reason they would not vote for Kamala. I can't say I truly understood why people choose that option, but after researching late-term abortions, I discovered that most extreme birth defects--often leading to a baby's inability to live, don't show up until 20 weeks, and that is the main reason women have late-term abortions. How can I say that should not be a choice? Who wants to carry a dead or dying baby to term?
AND I really do feel Christians are missing an opportunity to show the love a Jesus and His grace to everyone who goes through such a difficult decision making process!
Truly, all the judging Christians do is turning people away from the church when we should have empathy for others.
This is a much needed book for this time.
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