The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without Works Is Dead

by Elsa Tamez, Pamela Sparr (Contributor), Mortimer Arias (Foreword)

Embedded in the New Testament is a five-chapter uprising known as the Epistle of James. This provocative, and often overlooked letter is the founding document of liberation theology—the theology that seeks to preserve Jesus' "preferential option for the poor." Now with a detailed study guide, this book can be used by Christians everywhere to study the radical message of James and reflect on what it means to be a true Christian.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Religion, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Elsa Tamez is a Methodist and Liberation Theologian. She was born in Mexico in 1950. Prof. Tamez received her Doctor's Degree in Theology from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. She received her Licentiate in Theology in 1979 from the Latin American Biblical Seminary, and a Licentiate in Literature and Linguistics at the National University of Costa Rica in 1986. She is a faculty member of the Latin American Biblical University in Costa Rica and a member of the team of researchers of the Ecumenical Department of Investigation (DEI) in Costa Rica. She is married with two children.

Among her most known publications in English are: The Bible of the Oppressed (1980), The Scandalous Message of James (1989), The Amnesty of Grace (1993), and When the Horizons Close: Rereading Ecclesiastes (2000). Her latest publication is Jesus and Courageous Women (2001). She has received several awards for her contributions to Contextual Biblical Hermeneutics.

Reviews

[Ben Makuh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though she has some good things to say and a decidedly different perspective on James, the quality of her exegesis suffers sometimes from extreme bias for the poor. While this is a good thing in general, she ends up showing partiality to them over and against the rich, which seems to be precisely what James commands against in chapter 2.

[Yvonne Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great biblical interpretation from Tamez. Also includes worship resources to incorporate James in worship.

[Craig Dove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among other things, this helped clarify why I prefer the Synoptic Gospels, along with the prophets and this particular letter, as opposed to the Gospel of John and Paul's letters.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book but not well argued and it feels like the author is trying to make the book of James about only one thing when it's more complex than that.

[Denise Sudbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the reason why any work is so despised such as James is not so obvious as what people commonly say.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good points about how James relates to oppressed communities, with some interesting reflection questions at the end.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to read on your own. Was finally able to finish this book this year when my class studied the book of James.

[Jonas Opmeer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short and important message delivered with a bit too much baggage.

[Collin Ellis · Rating 1 out of 5]

marxism 🤮

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this back in seminary, and thought I'd go through it again as a way of preparing for preaching and teaching the book of James which shows up in the lectionary all this month. I remembered liking it more six years ago than I did this time around. I usually totally get into liberation-oriented texts. But I can't say I agree with all of what Tamez has to say, and I certainly want her to substantiate her position more often. For example, she jumps from "enduring oppression" to "resisting oppression," both of which I'd agree are, yes, active and related, but also very different actions. It's good to read scripture from within our contextual circle; it's less good to read our contextual circle into scripture.

Nevertheless, Tamez's perspective is a good one. And her main paradigm, one which prefers the poor and excludes the rich, is no doubt in line with James's letter. She's caused me to wonder, in this age when we focus so heavily (and rightly!) on hospitality and inclusivity in the Church, if we should perhaps be asking also, who--or better what--should be excluded from the church? The rich, perhaps not, but the sin of Mammon, the devotion to riches, perhaps. We can justify the sinner, but at the same time work with him to point him toward a better way of life. Isn't that part of our hope of transformation in the Gospel?

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, brief commentary on James. I was a little concerned that the author seemed to have a fixation on the rich as being evil. She even states that the early church "began to open widely to the rich, a development that James did not look upon with favor." I'm not so sure that is true or that we can even deduce that from James. I believe his concern was more with how people conducted themselves, not that they had riches. Even Christ did not say that riches are inherently evil, but rather the love of riches. I understand the context out of which the author writes and so I understand why she would be concerned with oppression, but I think it's important not to unfairly castigate all those in power, but rather to be clear about the temptation attached to power.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot more than some of the other theology I've read. I think she makes arguments that should really shake Americans and our understanding of our place in the world. She basically makes the argument that it's not okay to be rich and that within the church we should question wealth essentially like wealth itself is a sin. I don't really disagree with her, but I've always found myself a bit outside of the mainstream as church goes, even in a very, very liberal congregation.

[Maureen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to use this book for a monthly women's group, and I have to say that I did not enjoy it very much at all. I found the author to be preachy, and her way of politicizing virtually every topic discussed was too much even for a confirmed rabble-rouser like me. I like authors to have an individual perspective and clear voice, but Elsa Tamez is just too shrill.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it comes from a liberationist mindset, I found it really helpful to balance my evangelical commentaries because it highlighted themes in James they'd missed.

[Wilhelmina Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting analysis of the Epistle of James from a liberation theology perspective.