Rev. Dr. Susan B. Thistlethwaite - #Occupy the Bible

Praise for Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaites controversial and must-read new book:

Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite brings the brains of a first rate scholar, the spirit of a pastor and the passion of a prophet to #OccupytheBible. Her book reveals the immediate relevancy of the sacred scriptures for todays struggling world and offers a compelling altar call for Christians to live out the mandate for justice inherent within our faith.

The Reverend Paul Raushenbush, Religion Editor,
The Huffington Post

The power and clarity of Dr. Thistlethwaites book confronts an anemic church afraid of the words and witness of Jesus Christ. This is a must-read for all who want to reclaim the Bible and the Church from poor biblical scholarship and a market-driven theology possessed by Wall Street. Read at your own risk. You may accept the call to #occupytheworld with love and justice.

The Reverend Otis Moss, III, Senior Pastor,
Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL

This book is a must-read for Christians struggling to follow Jesus in an era of rampant greed as well as those concerned that Americas economic system is morally bankrupt. The books grounding in scripture and theology is a critical tool for anyone trying to counter hypocritical political leaders or Christian right leaders who are leading America astray on economic policies and principles.

The Reverend Jennifer Butler, Executive Director,
Faith in Public Life

Many serious-minded faith leaders still cannot articulate why the Occupy movement engaged them so powerfully or why its distinctive culture continues to fascinate. For all such leaders this book will come as a huge gift. Susan Thistlethwaite uses compelling scholarship to show just how biblically and theologically relevant the Occupy movement was and is. It doesnt matter that the encampments are gone; this book is about us: it is about our calling and our need to do a mic check on a money-dominated social system that is rapidly losing its way.

The Reverend Peter Laarman, Executive Director,
Progressive Christians Uniting

Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite inspires, educates, and challenges me [us] to deeper biblical understanding about what God intends for us to do as His people at this time in Americas economic travails. She is a prophet who in my evangelical theological tradition engages not in predictions or foretelling as much as forth telling, applying truth to contemporary circumstances. It is clear, insightful, and oh so relevant. I wish every evangelical in America would read this book. It will change you, one way or another.

The Reverend Richard Cizik, President, The New Evangelical
Partnership for the Common Good

With signs of religious decline all around, many wonder if the church has a future. In this provocative book, Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite points to another sign for the churcha hopeful one: the Occupy movement. As she explores Occupy in light of scripture, it becomes clear that the church must renew itself as a grassroots movement of those who enact Jesus teaching to love God and neighbor. Is Occupy a sign of a new spiritual awakening? Thistlethwaite thinks so, and I suspect she is right.

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., author, Christianity After Religion:
The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening

Susan Thistlethwaites new book, #OccupytheBible, is a powerful reminder for LGBT people of faith everywhere that economic justice is, at heart, a queer issue. Jesus of Nazareth had a preferential option for the poor and the marginalizedthat is, the queer folk of his day. Read this amazing book and take back the Bible by unleashing your own biblical Stonewall Rebellion!

The Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Episcopal Divinity School

Previous Books

Metaphors for the Contemporary Church (1983)

A Just Peace Church, ed. (1986)

Lift Every Voice: Constructing Christian Theologies from the Underside, ed. with Mary Potter Engel (first edition, 1990)

Sex, Race, and God: Christian Feminism in Black and White (1991)

Casting Stones: Prostitution and Liberation in Asia and the United States, with Rita Nakashima Brock (1996)

The Inclusive Language Lectionary, Years A, B, and C, The National Council of Churches Inclusive Lectionary Committee (1987, originally published 19831985)

The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Version, with the Inclusive Language Translation Committee (1995)

Adam, Eve, and the Genome: The Human Genome Project and Theology, ed. (2003)

Dreaming of Eden: American Religion and Politics in a Wired World (2010)

Interfaith Just Peacemaking: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on the New Paradigm of Peace and War (2012)

#OccupytheBible

What Jesus Really Said (and Did) About Money and Power

By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite

#OCCUPYTHEBIBLE: WHAT JESUS REALLY SAID (AND DID) ABOUT MONEY AND POWER

Astor + Blue Editions LLC

Copyright 2012 Rev. Dr. Susan B. Thistlethwaite

All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspapers, magazines, radio, television, websites, and blogs, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the Publisher.

Astor + Blue Editions, LLC
New York, NY 10003
www.astorandblue.com

1. Excerpts from the following works are published by permission of Astor + Blue Editions:

Biblical quotations, unless otherwise indicated in the text, are from:

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All columns previously published on the Washington Post On Faith page online are used according to the editorial guidelines of the On Faith page.

2. All Photographs are printed with permission by Astor + Blue Editions. Arturas Rosenbacher, page 1; John C. Goodwin, page 10; Mario Tama/Getty Images News, page 12; Corbis/Bettman Collection, page 24; REUTERS/Brian Nguyen, page 26; Ilias Bartolini, page 29; Brown Brothers, page 41; The Everett Collection, page 41; Corbis, page 44; Walter P. Reuther Library, page 58; The Star-Ledger, page 60; Associated Press/Jacquelyn Martin, page 69; Mary Ann Sullivan, page 81; Timothy Krause, page 85; Nubar Alexanian, page 91; Paul Weiskel, page 97; Jami Huisjen-Scott, page 107; Erik McGregor, page 115.

Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data
Thistlethwaite, Susan Dr. Rev. #OccupytheBible: What Jesus Really Said (and Did)
About Money and Power1st ed.
Includes illustrations, photos, and endnotes

ISBN: 978-1-938231-44-5 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-938231-43-8 (epdf)

ISBN: 978-1-938231-42-1 (epub)

1. The Bible, theology and the current occupy Wall Street movement2. Jesus of Nazareth; teaching and learning and knowledge3. Religion and Faith4. Money and power and the real message of Jesus Christ5. The one percent versus the ninety-nine percent6. American Christian Left wing and conservative politics and a new reading of the scripturesI. Title