Gandhi and Jesus: The Saving Power of Nonviolence

by Terrence J. Rynne

At a time when so many insist on countering violence with violence, this exploration of the life of Jesus and the (often misunderstood) teachings of Gandhi puts nonviolent action at the very heart of Christian salvation.

Genres: Theology

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2008

About the author

Terrence J. Rynne M.B.A., S.T.L., Ph.D.
Dr. Rynne is currently co-President of the Sally and Terry Rynne Foundation which is dedicated to peacemaking and the empowerment of women. The Foundation recently funded the launch of Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking.
Previously Dr. Rynne was President of the Rynne Marketing Group, a nationally recognized health care marketing firm. Prior to founding the firm he was a hospital administrator at Lutheran General and Westlake Hospitals. He has served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and as a faculty member of the Archdiocesan Seminary at Mundelein.
Dr. Rynne’s MBA is from Northwestern University and his PhD in theology is from Marquette University.
Dr. Rynne’s book, Gandhi and Jesus: The Saving Power of Nonviolence, was published in the Spring of 2008 by Orbis Books.

Reviews

[Cabinet of Curiosities]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it helped me connect the dots in different strands of theology. Particularly, I was pleasantly surprised with how the author critiques Penal Substitutionary Atonement, or the Anselmian model of salvation. While the chapters felt long and chapter 3 on Christian theologians almost felt like it lost some of the momentum of the book, it is well worth the effort to get through. It really resonated with me, especially how the author established prioritizing orthopraxy over orthodoxy (without dismissing the latter) through the praxis of Jesus.

I highly recommend this book.

[Terry]

I never really thought much about the concept of non-violence and how it ties in with the idea of salvation as presented by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. This book was a real eye opener for me; I gained new insight about what the message of salvation really means. Recommended for all Christians.

[Jonathan]

What kind of a Hindu was Gandhi?

What did Gandhi believe about Jesus?

Where did Gandhi get his nonviolent actions from, and how did it work in his mind and in his writings?

How have Christian theologians been influenced by Gandhi's practical employment of the nonviolent commands of Jesus?

Where did the current, primarily Anselm-ian view of Christian atonement theory come from, and is there a better way forward that is more in line with ourselves, our lives, and Jesus himself?


If you are interested in any of these 5 questions, this book does a really, really good job of addressing them. Gandhi's motivations and influences are explored honestly and with a great deal of backing primary material. The author's passion for the topic is readily apparent, but so is his objectivity and strong mind for research. I would heavily recommend this book to anyone interested in Gandhi, nonviolence, or Christian atonement theory.

The jump from practical nonviolence to atonement theory is quite jarring, and almost seems like two separate books. While well-written and important, I would have preferred that the author had continued to develop the practical nonviolence angle, either from a historical perspective or a Christian theology one, and covered atonement in a separate book (or as a smaller part of an overall larger book). That's the only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars.

[Bill]

This is essentially a published doctoral thesis, so it's a bit dry and klunky at times. That makes it all the more impressive that it's an amazingly compelling argument that is fairly easy to digest. The basic point: Gandhi thought that Jesus provided a great model for how to change the world through nonviolent action, and Gandhi's insights should be adopted widely by Christians.

[Martin]

Outstanding book for many reasons. Mahatma Gandhi really understood the teachings of Jesus and non-violence as a means for social justice and change. The author also documents how four Christian theologians were influenced by Gandhi which is quite fascinating. Highly recommended!

[Rick]

This is a very readable analysis of the influences which help folks understand why nonviolence can make a difference in history.

[Peter]

This is a beautiful book. It gives me a different way of viewing Christianity. The insights on Gandhi's satyagraha is engaging and uplifting. It's amazing how much of it is rooted in Christianity.

[Kevin]

The title says it all!