Scandalous Witness: A Little Political Manifesto for Christians by Lee Camp is not for the faint of heart. Camp’s argument is provocative and he is not prone to pull any punches. He addresses the stance of a follower of Jesus toward politics seeking to show how Christians can have a renewed political witness in the world. Camp claims that Christian political identity is experiencing a moral and political crisis by the ways it has been co-opted and misrepresented. In short, “authentic gospel truth is a scandal to the American myth, he argues, and we are called to be scandalous witnesses.”

The book is organized around 15 propositions. Each proposition forms a chapter and begins with a summary of the proposition being put forward and then a more detailed exposition of the proposition. Here are the 15 propositions in outline:

1. History is not one damn thing after another
2. The end of history has already begun
3. American hope is a bastard
4. Christianity is neither a prostitute nor a chaplain
5. The United State is not the hope of the world
6. The United States was not, is not, and will not be a Christian nation
7. How Christian values, and the Bible, corrupt Christianity
8. Every empire falls
9. Christian partisanship is like a fistfight on the Titanic
10. Hostile forces have a role in the unfolding of history
11. Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is a politic
12. Liberal political puissance is not the goal
13. Exemplary political witness is the goal
14. Christianity is not countercultural
15. Christian engagement must always be Ad Hoc

Camp’s book will not appeal to everyone, but it is really not intended to appeal, but to be provocative. This is a book to read for those looking for a little challenge. Patriots beware! This is a book that challenges believers to pledge their allegiance first and foremost to Jesus Christ. If that is a touchy subject for you consider either challenging yourself or trying a different read. Personally, I liked the book and found Camp’s arguments convincing. I’d love to discuss it with you over a cup of coffee if you get a chance to read it.

• You can purchase a copy here.
• Camp also has a website and podcast.
• You can also take various online classes based around Camp’s books or from his friends and colleagues. See more here.