Called to Act

The Origins of Christian Responsibility

Michael Hopkins

Sep/2023, 240 Pages, PAPERBACK, 5½ x 8½ in

ISBN-13: 9781640656505

An important work highlighting the theological foundation of social action.

Christ himself lived in a time of immense social and political turmoil, as did his early followers. But can those early struggles provide guidance for God’s faithful in our own divided time? Episcopal priest and peace advocate Michael W. Hopkins proves that they can, tracing the origins of Christian responsibility all the way back to the indissoluble bond of baptism, drawing a clear line between those fraught early days and the turbulent present that Jesus commands us to engage in.

With nuance and grace, Called to Act peels back the historical and scriptural underpinnings of Christianity to exhume the social obligations inherited by all members of the kingdom of God. Through interpretation of Jesus’ words, works, and sacraments, modern day Christians can begin to reframe our fundamental outlook on and participation in the world around us, working as one to build communities of mutual care. Rather than allow differences of opinion or misguided attempts at neutrality to divorce us from the necessary work of political and community engagement, Hopkins provides compelling scriptural evidence for a new kingdom, united not by what we have left undone, but by what we are called to do for each other. 

MICHAEL HOPKINS is a priest of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester. Ordained in 1989, he served parishes in Washington, DC, Glenn Dale, Maryland, and Rochester, New York. From 1998 to 2003, he was President of Integrity USA, the principal advocacy and fellowship group for LGBTQ Episcopalians and their supporters. He is a longstanding member of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, and a member of Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission. His academic work includes three years of study in systematic theology and liturgics at the Catholic University of America and the reception of an MFA in Creative Writing from Seattle Pacific University. He lives in Hornell, New York.

Keywords

  • social justice
  • politics
  • civic engagement
  • peace
  • scripture

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