Roundup: Arab spring, Christian subversion, Communion commerce, dialogue

The ‘Arab spring’ in historical perspective

The mould of regime authoritarianism and popular impotence has been broken by the events of the ‘Arab spring’, however problematic the outcomes might be in the very different countries.

I believe in a rebel God

Following Christ, in contrast, means following one who directly subverts and undermines that toxic religious system, and indeed subverts all religious systems.

Buying the Body of Christ

Maybe the not-yet-realised body of Christ is not so different from that box of “Jesus Is My Homeboy” T-shirts riding next to it.

Buddhism and Christian self-understanding

Increased engagement with Buddhism has widened rather than narrowed the range of questions for Christian-Buddhist dialogue, say scholars of the traditions and their interaction.