Our fellow Jesus Radicals from the South Pacific have released the first issue of their new zine Co-Opted? Kia Ngaatahi and it’s a goodie. The aim of the publication is to:
provide some helpful information regarding what we see as the anarchist tendencies of Jesus’ teaching and how his message has been followed and/or distorted by various people since. (Editor’s Comments)
The first issue, written in English, features a range of topics from an introduction to anarchism and the Bible to reflections on a subversive church billboard to child poverty in New Zealand to a report on a Ploughshares action at Waihopai Spy Base. The zine also features book and film reviews, a list of additional theological references and great visuals including Lego renditions of 1 Samuel 8, Moses and the burning bush and Jesus carrying the cross (see “The Subversive Spirituality Of Christi-Anarchy” on page 9…and yes I said Lego).
Co-Opted? Kia Ngaatahi is rooted in the Australian and Aotearoa (New Zealand) context, giving readers a glimpse of anarchism and Christianity from the diverse perspectives in those regions. Born out of the annual SPCA gathering, this zine adds another important voice to a growing (and increasingly global) conversation on anarchism as a viable political option for Christians striving for faithfulness in the midst of structures that dominate, repress and vie for our allegiance. For more info on SPCA, visit their Jesus Radicals site.
