In Brief: Jesus and the Abolitionists: How Anarchist Christianity Empowers the People

By Terry J. Stokes. Broadleaf Books, 2024. 173 pages. $26.99/hardcover; $24.99/eBook.

Terry Stokes is a former parish minister currently working in community development in New Jersey. In Jesus and the Abolitionists, he brings a Black millennial’s perspective on Christian faith and practice, as it converges with current anarchist thought and politics. Stokes draws upon a number of theological and anarchist sources in this engaging book. It helpfully introduces Christians to constructive anarchism and, in turn, secular anarchists to radical Christianity. For many Friends today, this book could serve as a useful introduction to both. Indeed, Quaker faith and practice has strong affinities with both.

Part 1 introduces the reader to important concepts of contemporary anarchism, by way of Stokes’s own journey through several stages of Christian and political radicalization. Part 2, the main part of the book, examines how the building blocks of Christian faith comprise an anarchist spirituality, and conversely, how anarchist philosophy clarifies what Christian faith is really about. Stokes offers an anarchist reading of the creation story of Genesis, chapters 2 and 3; a reframing of what God’s authority means; a biblical critique of rulership; and a vision of the Trinity as an interactive community. He continues with an anarchist understanding of humanity and its redemption in Christ, and an anarchist reading of the Book of Revelation. Accordingly, he identifies anarchist themes throughout Scripture and reframes the Church as an anarchist, covenantal community of healing. The book finishes by mentioning some growing edges of anarcho-Christian experiment and practice.

Jesus and the Abolitionists offers an up-to-date, Black Christian perspective on anarchism. It invites all who would like to explore both radical faith and anarchist solutions to our present, broken social systems. It’s bracingly fresh and hopeful.

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Douglas Gwyn is a retired minister among Friends who lives in Richmond, Ind., and attends Clear Creek Meeting and First Friends Meeting.