Martyrdom and Identity - (T & T Clark Theology) by Michael P Jensen (Hardcover)

About the Book

A exploration of the Christian concept of martyrdom and its relation to the understanding of the 'self'. >

Book Synopsis

This book addresses the need for an account of Christian discipleship which addresses matters of selfhood and identity in the contemporary context. It will help its readers 'perform' Christian scripture more ably in the light of the witness of Christian martyrs.

Review Quotes

'A remarkable first book from an Australian scholar of great promise, offering a compelling account of the relation of Christian identity and martyrdom.' - Alister McGrath, Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, King's College, London, UK--Sanford Lakoff

'Displaying extraordinary literary sensibilities, Jensen illumines how martyrs help us better understand why and how our lives as Christians require the embodiment of narrative. His analysis of "Murder in the Cathedral" should be required reading for all Christians.' - Stanley Hauerwas, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC, USA--Sanford Lakoff

'This rich and intricate book by Michael Jenson deserves a wider audience than I fear it may attract. Clearly the outworking of an impressive doctoral thesis... it will reward the careful reader with challenging insights into what it means to be a Christian... Erudite and compelling, Jensen has written a tour-de-force on the nature of the Christian self... Any reader should be prepared to wrestle with themselves.'--Sanford Lakoff

'To both philosophers of narrative identity and devotees of the cult of self-fulfillment, nothing is as counter-intuitive as martyrdom. Jensen here turns conventional wisdom on its head, arguing that martyrdom is not a surrendering (or making) of one's identity but an active reception of one's being in Christ. The unexamined life may not be worth living (Socrates), but the untested Christian life is a veritable contradiction in terms. In a secular age of victims and victors, where many feel the burden of self-invention while others await Godot, Jensen urges Christians to communicate their faith in divine providence by resisting the temptation to follow ways that lead to worldly security, power, and status, and instead follow the way of Jesus Christ. Martyrdom - bearing witness to the gospel - is a costly communicative act that is not easily dismissed, or refuted. This is a beautifully conceived and practically challenging work from which readers will not quickly recover.' - Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Wheaton College, IL, USA. --Sanford Lakoff

About the Author

The Revd Dr Michael P. Jensen completed his doctorate in Moral Theology at the University of Oxford in 2008 and lectures in Doctrine at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia.