{"product_id":"imitating-christ-the-disputed-character-of-christian-discipleship-9780802883100","title":"Imitating Christ: The Disputed Character of Christian Discipleship","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs discipleship about personal sanctification or social reform?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Believers are divided on a question central to Christian identity: what does it mean to follow Jesus? For centuries, imitating Christ meant the pursuit of holiness, conforming the self to Jesus through self-sacrifice in order to join him in eternal life. But some Christians today consider this model to be self-centered. Instead, they say, true disciples ought to imitate Jesus in confronting corrupt social systems on behalf of the oppressed. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In \u003ci\u003eImitating Christ\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eesteemed New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson seeks the origin of this fissure. Surveying the New Testament, medieval mysticism, modern theology, and more, Johnson shows how twentieth-century social-gospel and liberation theologies created a new model of discipleship. He then evaluates the theological implications of the two models and asks what we can learn from each. Inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Thomas Merton, Johnson puts forward a vision of discipleship that can revitalize Christian witness in the world today. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Replete with keen exegesis and spiritual insight, \u003ci\u003eImitating Christ\u003c\/i\u003e reorients Christian living toward pursuing sainthood. Pastors and interested lay readers alike will rediscover a rich heritage in these pages. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLuke Timothy Johnson\u003c\/b\u003e is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He won the 2011 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his \u003ci\u003eAmong the Gentiles: Greco-Roman Religion and Christianity\u003c\/i\u003e. Johnson's many other books include \u003ci\u003eThe Revelatory Body; Brother of Jesus, Friend of God; The Writings of the New Testament\u003c\/i\u003e; and the two-volume work \u003ci\u003eThe Canonical Paul\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50900263502098,"sku":"9780802883100","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_7ec5a081-8ec8-4c69-b01a-1aab4025e82c.jpg?v=1738377574","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/imitating-christ-the-disputed-character-of-christian-discipleship-9780802883100","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}