Saving Jesus from Those Who Are Right: Rethinking What It Means to Be Christian

In stepping beyond the tradition of male-oriented, straight-oriented, white anglo-oriented thinking, Ms Heyward promptly induces a feeling in the reader of not-knowing-where-we-are -- a response to be welcomed, to be encouraged, to be deepened. In opposing "right-thinking", Ms Heyward does the Church, indeed all of us, a great service. In opposing "ruled-thinking", Ms Heyward actually may open the Church, and all of us, to the power and presence of God.

Heywood offers compelling arguments that dramatic changes in dogma, worship, and social action are needed to keep the church (and Jesus) alive. Writing from a feminist, liberation theology perspective, she suggests that authentic Christianity must abandon outdated patriarchal moral codes that alienate large groups of people. She spares no one in her attacks on those who distort the image of Christ to support their own political agenda. She is especially critical of the Christian right and neoorthodox evangelicals, but also recognizes that liberal Christianity can be a victim of distorted views of Jesus as the moralist. Her Jesus is a reconciler, a healer, and a lover. This book should encourage those of us who are tempted to be self-satisfied to become more willing to fight for people who are different from us and to experiment with ways of knowing God that are new to us.