The Convict Christ

I absolutely loved this book. As a Christian this brought me to a place of so much more compassion for those incarcerated. It further opened my eyes to the brokenness of our current system. I sent this to a loved one who is in prison and he read it entirely in a couple hours.I recommend this book for any Christians to gain a better understanding of our Masters teachings and how we are to receive and serve those who are in literal chains. It's a challenge to go beyond the concrete and barbed wire within our own borders and minister to these brothers and sisters. It's also a great tool at understanding the impacts (fiscal and otherwise) of Americas unruly practice of mass incarceration. Eye opening, honest, awakening. Left me more humble.

This book is a must read for anyone involved in or thinking about becoming involved in prison ministry. It is equally important for anyone who is interested in learning about the impact on society of the dramatic growth in the prison population in this country. It will challenge your perceptions of the justice system in this country and cause you to reflect on the biblical notion of redemption. The opening lines of the book, "When GOD CHOSE to take on human flesh, he did not become a priest or a monk, a king or a general, a poet or a philosopher. Instead, he became a death row prisoner, a condemned criminal executed alongside two thieves." give pause to our concepts of who the real prisoners are in our society.This book was recognized by the Catholic Press Association at the Catholic Media Convention on May 25th. It received a first place award in the category of Social Concerns. The citation is included below:Award for Social ConcernsFirst Place - The Convict Christ, by Jens Soering, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y.We found this book very compelling and well-written. The topic is timely, and the author's perspective is challenging and well-researched. It is a wonderful book for Christians who are ready to confront our society's "lepers"--prison inmates. The volume is easy to read and well-organized, and we especially appreciated the integration of Scripture, personal stories and broader reflections.

Convict Christ is thought provoking. Put aside the nice stories of baby Jesus and Mary; of Christ being a carpenter's son teaching in the temple; of our ]salvation. Place Christ as a convicted criminal on death row - lowest of the low. A must read for anyone claiming to be Christian. The Gospel says one thing about criminal justice. Western (American) "tough on crime" culture behaves differently. It is not a question of liberal vs conservative. One may oppose crime without being tough on crime. How would Jesus treat the incarcerated?This book dovetails nicely with  The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

I received this book from a friend while serving a nine-month federal prison sentence. It (obviously) spoke to my condition at that time and became my favorite among the several books I received from wonderful friends during my incarceration. It was also the only book stolen from me! (I bought another copy on Amazon as soon as I got home.)Soering's penetrating perspectives on the often-smug indifference shown to prisoners by public officials and the media are not new. But when he applies them to Christians, they form a stinging rebuke to the church's own teaching and doctrine concerning its biblical obligations to those living behind bars. Soering's very readable (and at times sardonic) look at criminal justice realities is framed around relevant Bible stories of men (including Jesus) and women caught in the grip of their own legal systems, secular or religious (not that much different from ours in many ways). His astute assessments challenge Christians to reconsider their easy judgments against convicted criminals and their coldness towards the real plights of those stuck in the US prison system (the world's largest).This is a book that can change minds. It's no screed against our government or angry indictment of Christians. Rather, it offers a sobering corrective to any Christian willing to consider what biblical justice truly demands of him or her.You can easily read this book in one weekend. Then you may be moved to study Soering's other, even deeper reflections on how the church can fulfill its mandate to comfort the afflicted and set the captives free. I hope you will.

Great book, great comparison of Jesus and present day incarcerated.

Jens Soering, homes in on prisons/prisoners/prison life & the prison system, during a difficult period in his life when he himself was a prisoner going through the Criminal Justice system. He highlights the horrors that go on inside the prisons, in full view of, and with the full knowledge and backing of some of the stronger or more authoritative prison officers, both in junior and senior positions. The Author draws strength from remembering that Jesus too, was a Convict.To say that Christ was a Convict maybe abhorrent & insulting to some folks as it was Jesus that became the Convict as a Victim of Miscarriages Of Justice - a system that convicts & imprisons Innocent people - very often on insufficient evidence or the available technology of forensic & scientific evidence supported at the time of conviction. Miscarriages Of Justice is a very real, scary & serious situation that usually takes place on purpose, for 'purposes' of Government Protocol. During this time, Jesus had insults heaped on Him by His 'inmates’ and those who took ‘the moral high ground’, like the Church and State - i.e. the political & religious authority of the times. The community did not want to associate or ingratiate themselves with Him, neither did His Disciples.The Gospels are supposedly 4 ’witness’ statements of Jesus’s life leading to His arrest, sentencing & Conviction. The Contents page include:1. The Sermon In The Synagogue At Nazareth America’s Prison Crises2. The Gerasene Demoniac Mental Illness Behind Bars3. The Woman Caught In Adultery The Death Penalty4. John The Baptist’s Defender Advocacy For And By Individual Inmates5. John The Baptists Execution ‘Correctional’ Heath Care6. The Good Samaritan Prison Rape7. The Persistent Widow And The Unjust Judge Parole Abolition8. The Judgement Of The Nation The Civil Commitment Of Sex Offenders9. The Paraclete Rough Justice In The Courts10. The Legionnaires In The Pretorium America’s Abu Ghraibs11. Simon Of Serene Racism In The Courts And In Prison12. The Good Thief Correctional Education13. The Bad Thief Life Sentences14. The Resurrection A Convict’s New LifeThis book serves as an icy cold, chilling dip into the reality of prison life and the Criminal Justice system. It is a book that is very 'heavy and loaded'. It touches on the subjects of western values in modern society and the moral standings within our communities. When you read this book you will begin to see the 'Ice' in the word 'Just'.There are lots of facts and figures to absorb. However, the facts & figures stated, pertain to the ‘rough justice’ of ‘The American Dream’.Justice is questionable.Thank You!