The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus

by Damon Garcia

For thousands of years, religious messages have been used to either uphold the status quo or upend it. And while we are all very familiar with the kind of conservative Christianity that suppresses liberation and justifies oppression, progressive Christians are just as guilty of upholding unjust systems when we prioritize harmony and unity over justice. True justice requires us to choose sides. True justice requires action. When we look at Scripture, we see that the God of the Bible was never neutral. Again and again God chooses the side of the oppressed. Jesus said the Spirit of the Lord anointed him "to let the oppressed go free," and those of us who claim to follow Jesus today must commit to this radical mission of liberation.

In The God Who Riots, popular YouTuber and public theologian Damon Garcia uses his frank, tell-it-like-it-is style to connect us with the Jesus who flipped tables in the temple and led an empire-destabilizing movement for liberation. The spirit of this God is embodied in today's protests, riots, and strikes. As we join this struggle for liberation, we are joining the God who riots alongside us, within us, and through us.

Genres: Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Politics, Faith, Christianity, Spirituality

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2022

Reviews

[Sølvi Goard · Rating 5 out of 5]

We went to church often when I was young, and my school was Christian too. I aged out of it, traded church for protest movements, and felt like I'd left it behind. But years later I would still find myself seeing the world through the ethics and cosmology of the New Testament. WIthout being fully conscious of it, I'd wanted movement leaders to be like Jesus, and felt my heart break when they failed to live up to those ethical standards.

I also carried inside me the cruelty, judgment and weaponised piety of church in the 90s. People in the congregation who would use spirituality as a weapon against those with less power. As an adult, I came out, transitioned, and felt a great sense of release and relief. But I still held onto a very deep shame despite, one I think I learnt from early childhood. That I was fundamentally wrong, at odds with God. So I spent years scraping the floor, making myself small and quiet as an apology for existing. A rising atmosphere of transhopbia made that an easy habit to fall into, and easier to avoid examining.

Why is all of this relevant? I think the social crisis we're trapped in is as much a spiritual crisis as an economic or political one. Why keep fighting, why even try, when the outlook seems so bleak? Finding a collective sense of purpose and meaning in these times feels fundamental. Well-established traditions like Christianity are certainly not the only means available to engage with those spiritual needs. For many, the harm and trauma associated with those traditions is, understandably, too much of a barrier for them to be meaningful. But for many of us it's the cosmology that still holds sway on our bodies, it's the tradition we came of age in and which fostered the development of our worldviews.

I found Damon's videos by accident a few years ago. He was speaking about the liberatory heart of the Christmas story, drawing on the Liberation Theology movement that came out of Latin America in the late 20th Century. It felt cool, and not creepy, to hear someone talking in that way about spirituality. His context is very different from that in the UK. The entanglement of commodified Christianity, the Prosperity Gospel, wealth and power, has produced churches that are profoundly exploitative and oppressive. These are emerging in the UK but not to the same extent. To challenge those forces, to articulate with clarity the abolitionist and anti-imperial heart of Christianity, is so crucial. I feel like it is a testament to the power of the book that it feels relevant and meaningful even for someone who is in a different context than the one Damon is addressing.

I feel like Damon's book is important because it offers that sincere, compassionate, justice-seeking heart of the tradition. It shows that those values, which speak to us so much as young people, are not separate from the world but very much engaged in it, in real and immediate struggles against white supremacy, against empire, against the turning of all life into commodities. It does not seek to convert, it does not seek to quiet your soul with guilt or shame. It's a spirituality that uses principles from the tradition to show that queer and trans people are not shameful burdens but gifts, key parts of the community with roles and value. It's a book that says: to desire justice is a source of strength and purpose. To see hypocrisy from the church you grew up in does not mean that that desire is foolish, it means that those churches weren't up to the task.

I feel that a spirituality from below will have to continue to transform, grow and learn to find meaning in the new world we're moving in to. It can't be dominated by any one tradition, it will need an ecology of traditions, old and new. But to do that, we need to bring ourselves to the table. And, for people raised Christian, bringing ourselves means working hard to untangle the tradition from the thorns of harm and cruelty that have parasitised it for so long.

[M G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I'm already recommending this to friends and know I'll be rereading it.

The word "radical" gets used a lot, and "The God Who Riots" continually reminds us what it means. Damon Garcia does an amazing job weaving together scripture and history, putting the life of Christianity's central figure alongside today's struggles for liberation. He reminds us that we are not alone in working towards a better world, and more importantly, that we do not need to choose between religion and justice. Furthermore, Damon Garcia traces the history of how Christianity has been used as a tool of injustice, and how we can acknowledge that while imagining beyond it. I will be thinking a lot about the third chapter, where he shows how lumping Christianity into the racist idea of "primitive religions" (as so many modern atheists do) does nothing to undo the structural harm of ranking belief systems and people as "civilized" or "primitive".

Like so many people, I grew up going to church, but drifted away when it didn't walk the talk and address the problems I was seeing in the world. Like so many people, I have been burning out while trying to work towards a better world. Reading "The God Who Riots," I am reminded that there is a tradition and a community of people who use the inspiration of Jesus' life to enact a real change on earth, to create "the Kingdom of Heaven" today.

It is truly a balm to be reminded that the love of god is always excessive, always too much, always "better than the world [we live in] can ever treat us." To be reminded that "with God, all things are possible," can be a call to action instead of accepting your lot in life.

Damon Garcia is the coolest pastor you wish you had as a youth.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Damon Garcia has the knack for taking big complex ideas and making them extremely accessible. His reflections on Jesus actions in the temple and the Black Lives Matter movement will certainly be very provocative for some people, but his biblical knowledge and the quality of his research mean that his arguments are well constructed and compelling, regardless of whether you accept his conclusions. His critiques of both conservative and progressive forms of Christianity mean there is plenty for believers and non-believers of all varieties to learn about and reflect on, and his reflections on how white supremacy influence even the language of “progressive” Christianity offer an important corrective to the superiority sometimes assumed by more liberal believers. The vision of Christianity presented by Garcia will offer a lot of people a way of engaging with their faith that will be significantly more life-giving and liberating, and this alone makes this book well worth reading. I recommend it highly.

[Ellis Billington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: An ARC was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I was very impressed by this book and its central idea of Jesus as a revolutionary (not a reformer). I'm in my second year of seminary, and have read a lot of work by left-leaning theologians, but I think even many of those left-leaning theologians often water down Jesus's message to make it more palatable for the centrists among us, making Jesus seem more liberal and less radical than he actually was. Garcia absolutely does not do that here, as he explores Jesus's radical message of revolutionary justice.

I think this would serve as a great primer for people looking to learn more about how to connect leftist activism to Christianity, but even for people like myself who have done a lot of reading and thinking about these topics, there is so much new insight to be offered. In particular, I found the way the author connected Jesus's cleansing of the temple with the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 to be absolutely brilliant.

From a technical standpoint, there were a few sentences and paragraphs here and there that were a little clunky in structure, although to be fair I don't know how many of those made it from the ARC to the final version of the book.

Overall, a great read!

[Ellen Switzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very powerful read. Instead of giving my own review and description, I decided it would be more productive to include a set of quotes from the book that I found particularly powerful.

“Using Christianity to colonize usually backfires eventually because colonized peoples end up discovering that the God they were forced to worship is really on their side. They discover that the God of the Bible is a God who frees enslaved people and condemns those who exploit them. The colonized discover that the Christian story is a story of a God saving people like them from the type of people that forced Christianity on them.”

“The best way Christians can fulfill the work of the reign of God today is to participate in the work of abolition.” (In regards to not just slavery, but abolition of systems that oppress marginalized communities and protect white supremacy and the patriarchy)

“Jesus was arrested and executed because of the trouble he was stirring up in Jerusalem. The story of Jesus shutting down the temple describes a planned demonstration and a riot, complete with property destruction, looting, and social unrest.”

Transphobia, homophobia, racism, and misogyny ends lives. Anything short of affirmation of these individuals aids in lives lost. Just as Jesus would (and did), we should be working fiercely to protect these humans and fighting for their equal human rights. Additionally, let’s never use the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” again and rather take responsibility for our words and actions towards these communities.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is mostly written for people coming from a Christian background who don't know that much about abolition and radical politics, and I'm approaching it from the exact opposite position, but I still really dug it. Lots to think about and a very accessible, easy read. Hoping I can get some copies to send to the prisoners I'm in contact with who have started a Bible study group together.

[Nathan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damon has a terrific knack for words that goes a long way in making big concepts accessible. He specializes in liberation theology, and this book lives in that arena like a fish lives in water. As long as I've been following Damon in his online activity, he always finds some new way to make me think about some element of the biblical text I'd never considered before (e.g. when he draws out that the sick, infirmed, and otherwise afflicted people to whom Jesus extended forgiveness despite no textual mention of their sins were being set free from the blame that society had placed upon them).

This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who's curious about the subject of Jesus, whether they be born and bred in the Church but looking to understand more, someone burned by the Church and wanting someone to help them verbalize the disconnect between what they were taught and the figure they were taught about, or even non-religious leftists wondering how they can better communicate to Christians they may know.

[Caitlin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd recommend this book to any deconstructing evangelical/ex-vangelical who wants to learn about liberation theology and doesn't know where to start.

Damon Garcia's first book is equally grounded in liberation theology and his own experience growing up in American evangelicalism-- and eventually growing beyond that tradition. The first chapter was especially compelling. Garcia's "Christian faith led him out of the [Pentecostal] community that initially taught me about that faith." He uses this experience as an example of how positive change happens-- when dissatisfaction with unhealthy constraints eventually outweigh the fear of change.

Each chapter combines autobiographical episodes, Biblical exegesis, anecdotes from history or recent politics, and a clear introduction to a different theological concept. I found the prose style pretty similar to mainstream evangelical devotional literature. I think that's a smart choice on Garcia's part. He's clearly trying to reach other exvangelicals, and inspire them to reclaim their faith for liberation.

Chapter 1 outlines the psychological and spiritual mechanisms of change. Garcia argues that "religion has always been used to empower people to change themselves and the world. And religion has also been used to suppress change." For Christians seeking to live out their faith more authentically, and in a healthier way, the tension between these two kinds of religion is the conceptual starting point.

Chapter 2 argues that pure religion offers an alternate way of valuing human life. Alternate to what? A universal human tendency to value people as things, or value people for what they can do for us. Because human souls are holy-- they belong to Someone Else-- Christians know they (and others) have intrinsic value separate from their social contributions or use-value. Building on Chapter 1's argument, Garcia points out that Christian history doesn't always live up to the promise. Christian leaders have often cooperated with dehumanizing ideology.

I agree with most of Chapter 2's arguments, but as an academic researcher I was a bit disappointed with the shaky history on pages 30-31. This is a pretty minor quibble though!

Chapter 3 looks at a one example of how historic Christianity hasn't fully lived out its holy potential to value human life, regardless of use-value. This example is racism and settler colonialism. Garcia does a good job of acknowledging that before racism, Christianity itself was the main way Western colonialism justified its project. He calls contemporary Christians to learn to spot white supremacy and Western Christian supremacy, and push back on both.

Since Chapter 3 looked at Christianity and colonialism, Chapter 4 moves naturally to Christianity and syncretism. He starts with antebellum Black Protestantism (a good example that really works for his argument!) Garcia asks contemporary Christians to follow the examples of colonized Christians in the past, challenging oppressive ideology that became part of slaveholder Christianity and asserting new liberatory versions of Christianity.

Chapter 5 offers radical forgiveness as one way to reject bad Christianity and assert a better, more liberation-oriented version. Garcia rejects conventional cultural-Christian notions of forgiveness: "pardoning someone for harm they caused," and argues for a more expansive view. Forgiveness, exemplified by Jesus' forgiveness of his murderers, "rehumaniz[es] those who had been dehumaniz[ed]" (83). This doesn't exclude accountability, or restore abusive leaders to positions of power. Instead, Garcia's most interested in Christ's forgiveness for the oppressed, disadvantaged, and marginalized, such as drug addicts and people experiencing homelessness. Garcia's Pentecostal formation is really clear in the end of Chapter 4, as he imagines spiritual forgiveness radically transforming the social order.

Chapter 6 focuses on prison abolitionism. Garcia points out that true Christianity is always an alternate (often persecuted) community alongside the empire of its day. "Living out the reign of God today means living alternatively to whatever empire we find ourselves in," he argues, and for American Christians this means abolishing the prison-industrial complex and creating healthier, more humane replacements.

Chapter 7 looks at Christian love and solidarity. Garcia addresses young evangelicals starting to question why their churches don't robustly address systemic poverty. He describes himself, and his friend, finding solidarity with anti-war and anti-homelessness activists. To his readers who find themselves moving beyond the institutional evangelical church, he writes: "You have not gone astray. You have been on one long path. And this path leads us to discover God in more authentic ways than we ever could have by following the Christianity of this land" (139).

Chapter 8 and 9 synthesize many threads from the previous chapters. Garcia redefines "riot" as a symbolic rejection of the current social order, and a call to a new community. Jesus' triumphal entry in Jerusalem was a riot in this sense-- a protest of imperial authority and the dehumanizing, use-value logic it represents. Garcia asks his readers to join him in following Jesus, disrupting unjust systems and calling for (and constructing) new community.

Overall, the book succeeds at what it sets out to do: offer a sampler of liberation theology ideas, connected to biblical exegesis and personal testimony, in a genre that will reach his readers. If you're a progressive-leaning evangelical looking to be spiritually refreshed and challenged to think in new ways, this book is for you!!

[Kody Bartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damon Garcia carries readers through “The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus” by sharing non-white, religious experiences in a white-dominate western world. Taking up the mantle of non-white philosophers and theologians before him, Garcia continues the challenge of neo-colonial conceptions of religion in general, and Christianity in particular. Impassioned by his own experiences within Christianity, Garcia challenges readers to reconceptualize the pervasive western hegemony that influences most Christian ideologies, hoping to “dissect and exorcise the ways Christian colonialism has infected the foundations of their worldview.” (p. 54) While “The God Who Riots” might fall under the umbrella of “deconstruction” theology for some, primarily due to its critique of white-western hegemony, however, “The God Who Riots” should be considered as much more akin to liberation rather than deconstruction, or even reconstruction. Garcia’s focus is to reorient the reader in a way that allows for the ability to see past the colonial ethos of Evangelicalism, the pervasive Christian movement of our time, to realize a more holistic approach to religion and Christianity. Garcia is not the lighthouse guiding the ships through the fog but is rather a gust of wind that clears out the fog entirely, proving that Christianity can and should be practiced devoid entirely of the colonial presets of popular Christianity, not something to be navigated through by using the tools of earlier deconstructionists.
As mentioned prior, Garcia stands on the shoulders of the giants of liberation theology, such as Gutiérrez, Cone, Naim Ateek, and others. Retracing the radical nature of Jesus’ life and message, Garcia challenges readers to reframe their interpretation of the Christian life. “The God Who Riots” presents Jesus as a populist leader in a time of extreme Jewish persecution and Roman occupation, telling the story of a radical Palestinian Jewish leader who sought to upend the religious and political persecution of his people by means of rioting, abolition, and agitation. This is not a message of peace, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34, NIV) Garcia states, “The Christianity of this land is a result of Christianity having been used to justify the mission of settler colonialism. Oppressive Christian teachings did not inspire settler colonialism. Rather, people gradually developed oppressive Christian teachings to interpret settler colonialism as morally justifiable. This Christian ideology evolved into the white supremacist ideologies we are more familiar with today.” (p. 72)
Damon Garcia’s writing style will remind readers of authors such as Rob Bell, James Baldwin, Rachel Held Evans, Willie James Jennings, and Kaitlin Curtice. Interweaving personal narrative while contextualizing it in the greater thesis of his argument, Garcia will leave readers feeling personally closer to his experience, newly sharing in his convictions. This book is for those who desire a closer understanding of the Christian faith. Christians or not, readers will finish this book having been emboldened by Garcia to recognize the truly revolutionary ideals of Jesus’ message and those of the disciples that followed Jesus. This book is the perfect catalyst for those looking to get more familiar with the fields of Christian Theology, Religion, and theories of liberation. For those already familiar with said fields, the reader will leave with a deeper understanding of the material and spiritual conditions that inspired Garcia to write such a profoundly challenging book. Readers of Garcia will find a call to live an authentic life of Christ, a call that should not be taken lightly. Disclaimer: This book was provided to me for free for review.

[Victoria George · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an atheist, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was raised with religious family members who were always extremely judgmental. I never understood how we could all be God’s children but some were more loved than others? Garcia’s book shines light on the differences between the Christianity of the land vs the Christianity of Christ, a term originated by Frederick Douglass. This also gave me great talking points for the same family members within the current political climate.

[Celien]

ik hou van dit boek en ik wil dat iedereen dit boek leest!!!

[Kirk Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concept and I appreciated the analysis, however it seemed quite repetitive. It falls into the “could have been an essay” category.

[Delaney Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Already wanna reread tbh

[Vivian Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The God Who Riots is an eyeopener, even for those who frequent Damon Garcia's Youtube channel. He presents information from the colonial message of white Western Christianity to the importance of abolition in the Christian story in a simple, easy-to-follow way that invites the reader to ask questions and to think critically about religious beliefs that they may have grown up with or been surrounded by. For the religious readers, Garcia shows a new, radical way of viewing Christianity or any religion that has been molded to fit the status quo. For the nonreligious, the book does but attempt to convert the reader; in fact, it praises those who follow in Jesus' footsteps even if it is not through the church itself. For those who do not agree with Garcia's leftist politics, The God Who Riots shows that such politics actually fit in with the radical Christian story that has been buried by capitalism and settler-colonialism for decades.

[Shumpei Hayashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read often, but this book was really easy to read. It felt almost conversational, like the author was sitting across the table, explaining his views to me. I really enjoyed that.

Some things made me uncomfortable and challenged me to study and to take a closer look, while other things just immediately clicked for me, like he put my own personal experiences into actual sentences.

He talks about various topics, but it was clear to me that his beliefs were built on a common foundation: God's love, justice, and grace. I absolutely recommend reading this book :)

[JC Finlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It explains so many big ideas in such simple, relatable language that Garcia grounds in his own lived experience. The criticisms of the church in this book come from a place of wanting the church to be more than it has become and from a place of deep love for the church, without leaving any room for colonial mindsets. This is an excellent read for anyone wanting to ground their faith in something living and breathing. Very excited to see where Garcia’s writing leads in the future!

[Hannah Torney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am only part way through this book, but already it has had an impact on me. I have spent the better part of a year re-evaluating my faith, wondering how I could be a part of a community that seems to not want to do anything good for other people, not support the people around them like we've been tasked with as Christians. Damon's book has helped me see that I'm not alone in that thought, and it's been a good challenge to me in reading this book.

Highly recommend.

[Blake Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every person who either calls themselves a Christian or a follower of Jesus needs to read this book. It might be one of the most important books of the year. Highly recommend!

[Josh Olds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Luther King Jr said “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Throughout history, we’ve seen how protests have turned into rioting as anger and grief over injustice have expressed themselves in very physical forms. I’ve often wondered if those kinds of actions held any value except for catharsis. I mean, it seems like all that rioting tends to do is give the opposition a thing to pick on to justify further future injustice. We can also look to nonviolent resistance and see that nonviolent revolutions are more successful that violent ones. So…A God Who Riots? I’m there in solidarity. I understand it emotionally. But also, Jesus is a God who sacrifices.

That was my mindset at the beginning of Damon Garcia’s A God Who Riots. I can concede that my pacifism is a result of my privilege. I’m a white heterosexual middle-class male. What substantive outrage do I have to riot against? Only the oppressed have to riot. Could Garcia change my perspective by getting me to see through the eyes of someone with more of a reason to riot? Well, it depends on how you define a riot.

The theological center of A God Who Riots is Jesus’s cleansing of the Temple, “a planned demonstration and riot, complete with property destruction, looting, and social unrest.” Garcia begins his book with an explanation of that story and a reminder—both personal and biblical—about Scripture calls us to radical change. Religion has been used to empower people to change the world; religion has been used to suppress change. From there, Garcia sets the historical context for Jesus’s explosive demonstration, showing readers how radical a move this actually was by the Prince of Peace.

However, A God Who Riots fails—at least for me—to do a couple of things: First, it doesn’t convince me that Jesus’s cleansing of the Temple is comparable to the type of riots we often see to demonstrate against injustice today. Second, it does not set boundaries around what kind of rioting may be appropriate and which may not. Simply put, turning over some tables and disrupting the corrupt economy within the Temple grounds is difficult to compare to mass burning and looting. Somewhere, there must be a boundary. Where is that boundary? If we are going to have the discussion about rioting, we must understand how to riot well. While Garcia covers this in the more expansive metaphorical term, there’s not as much clarity on actual physical specifics.

In the end, I resonate with a lot of what Garcia says. His call to embrace a radical Jesus—a transforming rather than reforming Presence—is bold, powerful, and prophetic. His perspective on rioting as more than just destruction, but rather a feeling of holy discontent that serves as a catalyst of change lifts “rioting” out of its physically violent context into a greater, more expansive, and more helpful paradigm. His encouragement that we must take sides, we must choose to side with the poor and powerless, is absolutely true. Damon Garcia speaks a prophet and his message is worth hearing.

[Franky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. Biblical exegesis and political consciousness are interwoven such that Garcia shows how the two actually inform each other. This conversational book is a good way to orient oneself to the topic of liberation theology, but also takes specific stands on issues facing readers today.
Garcia begins with the discomfort he experienced in his previous church work, where the culture was to hide behind religion in order to avoid facing injustice. He describes a belief among leadership that potential members aren’t interested in social justice issues and aren’t looking for spiritual leadership in that area. But Garcia shows through the life of Jesus and through the history of liberation theology that God Himself is invested in these issues, and He always takes the side of the oppressed.
The book is full of really interesting contextualization of scripture that I hadn’t heard before. For example, Garcia places the story of David and Goliath in the wider context of “otherization” narrative for an invading nation to justify conquest. In another, Garcia describes the way that Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem is one of “abject submission.” Garcia doesn’t load the reader down with text, but when he does he is prepared to offer fresh insights and careful analysis.
A unique and compelling part of Garcia’s theology is its openness. He describes himself as being called to a “post-Christian” environment, and declares that “the only thing I’m certain of is that God is revealed to the fullest when we love one another.” This offers a way to do our holy work alongside others, putting other things aside in favor of living more authentically in the way that Christ lived.
In fact it seems that liberation theology must be open in order to grapple with christofascism, which uses religion to justify racism, colonialism, and genocide–such as through the Doctrine of Discovery. One of the most striking parts of the book is that Garcia doesn’t shy away from the tension christofascism presents, but instead thoughtfully considers the ways different groups of marginalized people have interacted with that tension, either through renouncing Christianity in whole or in part, or in reclaiming it. I especially liked the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and how Mexicans “through their own engagement with Christian symbolism…discovered its original liberatory characteristics that were missed by their oppressors.”
This book is easy to read with plenty of ideas to digest. I follow Damon Garcia on various social media platforms and have been looking forward to this book, and it does not disappoint.

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us grew up reading a Jesus in a Bible that was way different than how Christianity evolved to be. Jesus of the Bible confronted the den of robbers and all the injustices perturbed by this world. Much like the Temple of Jesus’ time was corrupted by the socioeconomic powers, Christianity has also been corrupted to protect unjust systems. The Church has prioritized worship over justice.

The perverse nature in which Christianity has developed is a shame since the very first Christians distinguished themselves by the way the took care of the community. “Saving oneself looked like choosing the side of the oppressed as they struggled for salvation from their oppression (you cannot decolonize other minds before you decolonize your own).”

Damon Garcia does a great job explaining the anti-capitalist, anti-patriarchal, and riotous nature that Jesus taught. Learning from Jesus’ understanding of forgiveness and seeing it as helping the disabled, unhoused, and enslaved. Not forgiving those in pardoning but forgiving those to be leapt out of marginalizations. Seeing the societal impacts that cause those to fall into “sin.” Because white supremacy, capitalism, and the patriarchy does not seek forgiveness, they seek ignorance. It does not only hide in bigoted statements but also through demands of unity and peace without justice and liberation.

I think Garcia and numerous other liberation Christian theologians are doing an exceptional job at highlighting how and why they are reclaiming the radical roots of the Christian faith and to use them to empower the meek and oppressed against the institutions that maintain injustice. Because Jesus is on the side of the oppressed and those looking to form a new world. His death on the cross was the consequence of living a life devoted to radical transformation. To take a term from Fred Hampton, he died a death of Revolutionary Suicide.

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are reading this, it’s not a review. It’s just a summary so I can remember what was in it. I tried to read it before going to sleep each night and didn’t like it. But when I skimmed it again in the daytime, now I like it. You have to think. The book starts with the author breaking away from his evangelical upbringing. He wanted a church with an emphasis on how Jesus lived and not how he died. He discussed the Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election. Who is chosen and how do you know? If you’re chosen by god, you’re chosen and it doesn’t matter what you do. This led to the thinking that poor people weren’t chosen, which led to the Protestant work ethic. This led to who is blessed? We tend to think of wealthy people as blessed, but Jesus said the poor were blessed. Evangelism was the stated goal of colonialism but it was really exploitation. Christian vs pagan. White vs black. Roots of racism. Otherizing foreign people is an ancient technique to justify violence and exploitation. Black and Indigenous can reclaim Christianity by reintegrating original spiritual practices. The author talks about forgiveness and reparations. The marginalized blamed themselves for their troubles and Jesus forgave them so they could quit blaming themselves and be rehumanized. (Not sure if I have that concept right. It’s hard to get my head around it). We need to abolish institutions that cause harm -like the police. He talks about the origin of police and the prison industrial system. When poverty decreases, crime decreases. He gives an explanation of Marxism. He compares Jesus protesting at the temple to modern protests. He explains looting. Jesus looted at the temple. (Ownership to sharing) One of my favorite quotes is “Jesus died for a cause”. That makes way more sense to me than Jesus died for our sins.

[Scallopwag · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must confess that as I started reading this book, I was disappointed. I was underwhelmed by the opening chapters and especially thought that many more of the claims should have been cited. I stand by that. However, chapter 5 and onward were much more powerful and I found them illuminating. This will certainly have an impact on my faith.

I loved Garcia's discussion on forgiveness in chapter 5-- "Jesus did not go out of his way to forgive the individuals guilty of the most harm, such as kings and rulers. He went out of his way to forgive individuals who had the most harm done to them.... These people were constrained by the sin of society and needed to be liberated from that burden" (81).

I was also a big fan of chapter 7, and the discussion of Frei Betto, who said that "for me, men are divided not into believers and athiests, but between oppressors and oppressed...." (129). I also like his discussion of the Young Lords taking the church.

The final chapters end much stronger than the initial ones. The fact is that Garcia's words are powerful and accessible. I was hoping for a deeper dive into theology. This is a very good introduction on the topic. Initially, I felt like there would not be enough fresh information for me, but I ended up satisfied with much of the incite and will hold onto it as I continue to read similar books.

[James C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The God Who Riots is one of the best contemporary works on liberation theology I have read. Damon's experience with evangelical Christianity as a child especially resonated with me and brought back a lot of my own negative experiences to mind, and immediately reminded me that Christianity is not a monolithic force of oppression, but also a force for liberation throughout history. This book was very personal, I very much felt that I was represented as a childhood fundamentalist making my way through the world of faith and spirituality. The return to the revolutionary spirit of the bible and of course to Jesus is refreshing, but also a thought provoking reexamination of the rigid dogmatism and complacency of the institutional church in the face of injustices and suffering. This book was, to me, the spiritual equivalent of Jesus overturning the money changer's tables in the temple, and it's very much what Damon was trying to express.

[Jacob Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The book is accessible, easy to read, and for folks interested in a primer to non-mainstream/conservative readings of scripture I think it is perfect. There are so many folks who have come up in a religious tradition that feel pushed out because of the inhumanity of some of the aspects of the faith tradition they left, but who nevertheless have a desire for a Christianity of some sort. Damon Garcia says liberation theology saved his faith - I think this book could save the faith of others. I would only say as a word of caution that I’m not sure if this book can function as a convincing opening salvo to those convinced of traditional conservative evangelicalism, though I don’t think this is the purpose of the book so it’s not a critique, just some thoughts for folks who are trying to reach family and friends that are still in those faith traditions.

I highly recommend The God Who Riots.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. That may surprise folks who know me since this sort of book is my thing: biblical scholarship, theology, philosophy, a call for the current church to do better. Yet, Damon Garcia writes about such sweeping things in the most casual way. I did not experience this book as a lecture, or speaking series, but as casual conversation over coffee in the cafe. The exact sort of conversation that goes so long, you have to drop some other plans to make room, but you don't even mind. Garcia is firmly present, boots on the ground, which more theologians should do.

[Josephine Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything my soul cries out when I bitch about White American Evangelicalism. This book puts it into perfect words what I have always read when I opened a Bible: that God and Jesus have always been and will always be on the side of the marginalized and oppressed. They are deep in the trenches with those of us who are fighting for the liberation of us all. Many people have used the Bible to keep us down, but they’ve got it all wrong.

This is a must read for all of my fellow radicals who are passionate about changing the narrative, reclaiming God, and fighting for all people everywhere. 5/5

[Kelly Wichmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of a book club, I largely found the book to present new ideas and concepts that were compelling. The ideas of how radical Jesus and early Christianity was and how these ideas have been historically misconstrued and incorrectly used to uphold acts of atrocity, injustice, and bigotry were ideas that I am mostly new to and honestly refreshing. I'm always trying to expand my understanding of the world and this book gave me a lot to chew on.

[Lauren Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply indispensable for anyone witness to Christianity, regardless of religious status or experience. It illuminates Jesus's mission without the derangement that the church added to it. It astutely holds up Frederick Douglass's distinction between the Christianity of this land vs. the Christianity of Christ. And it's the most accessible book on liberation theology I've read. It reads like the most transformative sermon you will ever hear. And those who have ears should hear.

[Eunice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. Garcia makes an excellent case that Jesus was radical and has a lot of scripture to support it. He really knows his stuff and has clearly studied. the only reason I'm giving this found stars is because I felt like the book flew by and didn't go into depth enough. it's good if you've been in the church, and is essentially babys first introduction to these concepts. would recommend.