Reimagining Biblical Politics: What Scripture Says About Public Life and Why It Matters

by Michael Rhodes, Carmen Joy Imes (Foreword)

The Bible calls us to live as disciples of Jesus in every area of our lives, including politics. But how do we live as faithful political disciples when politics has become so toxic?

Too often, Scripture's political witness is reduced to a few verses to defend our partisan political team. For some, political neutrality is the gold standard in congregational life. But if God's people refuse to pursue political discipleship, someone—or something—will disciple our politics for us.

Rather than rehashing America's current political context or attempting to offer a blueprint for contemporary political practice, this book invites listeners from across the political spectrum to rediscover the startling, strange, beautiful, and often-neglected world of biblical politics and imagine how the Bible might transform our political witness. Each chapter offers a snapshot of a different biblical text or figure—such as Esther, the Torah, Jeremiah, Paul, and Jesus—and explores how they offer us a vision of political discipleship. To help us imagine how we might move from Scripture to political action, the author includes stories of faithful political discipleship from around the world and throughout church history. Reimagining Biblical Politics empowers us to practice faithful political discipleship in our churches, neighborhoods, and communities.

Genres: Christian

248 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Michael Rhodes is the Lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College. He has been involved with Christian community development initiatives for the last 18 years, and is the author of a number of books, including Reimagining Biblical Politics (Baker Academic), Just Discipleship (IVP Academic), and Practicing the King's Economy (Baker).

Reviews

[Dan Bouchelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for Bible class or small group. Non-partisan while principled.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please allow me to be briefly auto-biographical because I'm certain there's other Christians for whom a political pendulum swing will resonate... . I grew up in a slice of Jesus-worshipping America where everyone I knew held the same political beliefs. In our church - the largest in the county - there was exactly one family who publicly voted differently than the rest of the body. I really don't recall if or how politics was addressed overtly or covertly; it was just understood that to follow the ways of Jesus was to vote a certain way.

Shortly after moving out of that childhood context, a Christian I deeply respected said, "I just don't know how anyone who is a Christian could ever read the Bible and vote [insert the party of 99.99% of my childhood church body]."

Rhodes' charge in Reimagining Biblical Politics really challenged both the seething judgement I'd developed for the party of my youth and the arrogance I've developed for my voting patterns in adulthood. This book is a needed reminder to orient the way we engage in the public sphere around the whole of God's breathed words. In a time of increasing polarization, this work offers a space for Christians of any intersection of denomination, political party, etc. to have a common orientation around how we can engage with society.

This book is for individuals reeling from the political discourse of the day, Christian leaders uncertain of how to approach certain topics without sounding "too political," and really anyone who wants to be reminded that God reigning doesn't need to abdicate us from a life in the public sphere. No matter your political persuasion, you will find Biblical teaching, not condemnation, in these pages.

[Carmen Imes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so eager for this book to come out. Rhodes offers such insight into how the church today can productively and peacefully engage in the political process (without espousing Christian nationalism).

This is a book the church desperately needs. Not only is it a delightful read, but Michael is a
master teacher—drawing out insights from unlikely corners of Scripture, as he did in his other
fantastic book Just Discipleship. Biblically formed, practically driven, with stories and examples. So well written.

For all of us who are a bit shell shocked by the past few election seasons and the damaging
effects on our families and our churches, and for all of us who are wondering if there’s any way
to mend the breach in our communities and build a different tomorrow, Michael Rhodes holds
out a hopeful vision for thoughtful Christian political engagement.

I had the honor to write the foreword to this fantastic book. Preorder it now!!

[Gretchen Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed book for our time. Rhodes walks the reader through the stories and characters of the Bible, highlighting the diversity of political engagement throughout Scripture, (and not just the usual places we tend to go to for this topic). In doing so the reader is challenged to expand their thinking on how they and others can interact in their day to day public life and politics. It is both freeing and challenging. Rhodes argues that the main political message of the Bible is “Our God Reigns”, wherea then everything else flows from that claim. This has made me read my Bible and sing songs at my church with new eyes. Also as a side note, if the Revelation chapter doesn’t get you excited about God’s Reign and what that all means, I don’t know what will. Pick it up! Give it to a friend! Very accessible and a great conversation starter for lovers of Jesus on any point on the political spectrum.

[Missy Barnhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, hopeful book on political engagement. This book provides a thoughtful Biblical framework for how to think about, approach and act as a citizen of the kingdom of God here on earth. ‘The Lord Reigns’ is political cry of scripture and this book, which functions as both Bible Study and reference book, guides the reader how to think through what this looks like in the day to day. “‘Christians must obey God rather than people.’ But we can accept that God’s people pursued these goals in a variety of ways in Scripture, and therefore we must develop greater humility and acceptance of others in the body of Jesus who seek to live out their kingdom citizenship through different strategies than we do.”

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We must talk about politics in church because what the Bible says about politics is good news. To miss out on the Bible and politics is to miss out on part of the gospel.
• - MICHAEL RHODES, Reimagining Biblical Politics

This book is what Christians in our society need today. I was skeptical to read a book about politics when I feel so exhausted by the subject in real life. Reimagining Biblical Politics helps me to feel hopeful and re-invigorated about my role. Michael’s very biblical approach to the subject appreciates the nuances of a complicated topic and allows readers to come to their own conclusions about what their individual roles should be. It’s also a great book for group discussions, as he provides thought-provoking questions throughout the book. Highly highly recommend!

[Haley Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t be intimidated by the topic- This is a very accessible read, full of scripture and church history but also practical and reflective questions. 
If you or someone you know is pondering how believers interact with public life as citizens of a nation and citizens of God’s Kingdom or if you are just confused by the Bible stories of Joseph or Esther or the book of Revelation, I think you’ll be encouraged by this book. Highly recommend for churches, community groups, book clubs, etc. My book club read it and we have had great discussions. It’s a very timely topic

[Steven Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read on this subject. So much balance in taking different perspectives and allowing for nuanced views of the actions of characters in the Biblical story. I’ve been working on lessons on this topic, and I was impressed and affirmed that the author arrived at similar positions. But there were great insights I hadn’t considered: on Joseph, Esther, Psalms, and elsewhere. This is one I will likely need to reread because there is just an abundance of insights.

[Callie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re exhausted by politics these days, feeling numb to it all, unable to imagine ever discussing current events with others out of fear of disagreement, rush to read this book!
Rhodes does such a thorough and accessible job of looking at examples of God’s people engaging in various areas of public life over the ages.
It is refreshing, convicting, eye opening, a must read.

[Celina Sourbeer]

I proofread this.