Potential: The Assyrian Question for Identity: What does it mean to be an Assyrian from a Christian perspective?

by Steve Netniss

What does Christianity say about ethnicity? This book is a retelling of the biblical story with an emphasis on ethnicity, along with an overview of the Assyrian people. It is written to Assyrians and Non-Assyrians who want to take a journey into the past that will help us to have new conversations about the future. This book will retell the story of the Bible and help us to see how the first Christians interacted with their own Jewishness. The Assyrian language, culture and memory is slowly disappearing. This is an engaging book with wide-ranging impact on how this ancient, Christian nation, formed thousands of years before the writing of the Bible, can deal with its ever-changing identity issues from a Christian perspective in the Diaspora. His provocative arguments help advance the conversation on the Assyrian ethnicity and identity in the 21st Century.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2015

About the author

STEVE NETNISS (Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary) is an Assyrian born native of Turlock, California. He is passionate about the big story of the Bible and although he does not have all the answers he enjoys the conversation. Steve has served in several churches in Central Valley, CA, and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. He is an Adjunct Professor at California State University Stanislaus in the College of Business and resides in the East Bay where he is an Instructional Education Technologist.

Reviews

[Ramel Nasseri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Very interesting book and topic which speaks to a fundamental problem that is occupying the Assyrian mind; Should there be conflict between one's ethnic and religious identities? Steve Netniss provides a good debate platform for this question with this book. He gives a general overview of what the Assyrian ethnic identity looks like and how they have historically worshiped, and at last concludes with scriptural examples that addresses faith and ethnicity. This book was written with the Assyrian Culture in mined and at the center of it, however it includes some food for thought for other ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds, specially for multi ethnic communities.