James K.A. Smith - Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology

With great clarity and cultural insight, Smith sets out an Augustinian-Reformed antidote to the highly polarized forms of politics we see around us today, in which churcheswhether on the left or the rightare too often raucous and rancorous participants. In doing so, he joins a growing chorus of those arguing for a constructive theological account of the politics of a common life.

Luke Bretherton , Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke Divinity School

Awaiting the King presents Smiths mature public theologya carefully nuanced plea for calculated ambivalence and cultivated circumspection toward culture. It is a vision of resident aliens invested in the world around them. Lucid and persuasive as always, Smith challenges the ways in which contemporary Christiansincluding his own Neocalvinist traditionrun the risk of naturalizing shalom. Smiths account unabashedly advocates making lifes final, heavenly end the starting point for the way we structure our social life together. This final, crowning volume of the Cultural Liturgies project has the potential to profoundly redirect contemporary public theology and practice.

Hans Boersma , Regent College

Smiths Awaiting the King is a thoughtful, wise, and provocative book. In it, we are challenged to recognize certain truths that run counter to the Western tradition: that the state is deeply religious, being as it is an incubator of love-shaping practices; that the church is profoundly political, being as it is a place of public ritual centered on and led by a King; and that the churchs public theology must therefore resituate the political in light of creation and reframe it in light of eternity. Awaiting the King is not only smart but also well written and relevant to a broad range of interests, including public theology, political science, philosophy, and social ethics.

Bruce Riley Ashford , Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary