Stephen D. Morrison's new book Jürgen Moltmann in Plain English (2018) is an introduction to Moltmann for today's world by an amateur author who writes like a scholar. Morrison's book surprised me because I expected it to be an epitome of Moltmann's life and works, similar to Jürgen Moltmann: Collected Readings (2015), but no! it is so much more! I would have titled Morrison's book "Moltmann for Today's World" (as a reference to Moltmann's Jesus Christ for Today's World) because Morrison explains Moltmann's theology in protest against the injustices and oppression active in the world here and now. Of course, Morrison titled this book similar to his previous books in this series such as Karl Barth in Plain English (2017) that I reviewed last year and Thomas F. Torrance in Plain English (2017).

Method of Morrison's Moltmann

Morrison begins with Moltmann's call for dispute in theology today—for the sake of the truth! Morrison introduces Moltmann's theology in dispute with injustices and oppression in the world today, and each chapter confronts us with truths from Moltmann's theology that demands a response that is frequently unpopular and opposed by many evangelical Christians today. Moltmann's life story is inseparable from his theology, so it is essential to know Moltmann's biography to understand Moltmann's theology, and so Morrison has a brief biographical introduction before surveying Moltmann's (arguably) ten most important books: Moltmann's early trilogy (Theology of Hope, The Crucified God, and The Church in the Power of the Spirit) and his systematic contributions (Trinity and the Kingdom of God, God in Creation, The Way of Jesus Christ, The Spirit of Life, The Coming of God, Experiences in Theology, and Ethics of Hope).

Morrison has a dedicated chapter for each of these ten books that conclude with 'sidebars' that brings Moltmann's theology into dispute with issues demanding action from the church today; Morrison engages many of Moltmann's other books within the context of these ten books. I appreciated that Morrison organized the chapters of his book systematically rather than by the order of publication, and began with Moltmann's Experiences in Theology because Moltmann explains his hermetical method in it, and I wish I had read this book long before I read most of Moltmann's other books. Moltmann is generally resistant to over-systematized theology (Moltmann calls this "fortress theology"), but it helps to have a system to know where to begin to understand Moltmann's many works. Another helpful feature is Morrison his appendix called "A Brief Reading Guide" (pp. 233-238) that I recommend for getting started with and navigating through Moltmann's theological works. Morrison's ten chapters on these ten works of Moltmann, provides a much better perspective and overview of Moltmann's complete theological program, because most other introductions overemphasize The Crucified God and the Theology of Hope and neglect Moltmann's other works.  

Pericopes from Morrison's Moltmann

I've chosen selections from Morrison's book that exemplify his commentary on Moltmann, and in particular examples of when Morrison presents Moltmann's theology in protest and as a call to action for the Church today. These selections generally appear after Morrison has summarized one of Moltmann's ten works, or in a "sidebar". There's so many more I could have quoted and I generally quoted only a small part of a compelling selection because I didn't want to give away the book. Enjoy! 

In his chapter two on the Moltmann's Theology of Hope, Morrison contrasts Moltmann's eschatology of hope with utopian and escapist theologies. Here's what Morrison says about evangelical escapist eschatology:

"An example of this reduced vision of salvation is the evangelical reaction against various liberation theologies, such as Black Liberation Theology in America (James H. Cone). While some evangelicals admit its merit, the majority reject liberation theology for its emphasis on God's liberating action here and now. Because, for evangelicals, the liberation proclaimed in the Gospel is limited to the soul's liberation from hell in the afterlife. Fighting for the liberation of oppressed people here and now is considered to be merely a secondary issue. This Gospel ignores the many hells that exist here and now on this earth in the form of poverty, racism, torture, rape, violence, and death. They have neglected Christ's call to proclaim the Kingdom on the earth and, instead, embrace an escapist vision of a pagan afterlife. This escapist vision of hope distorts the Gospel. If our Gospel message has nothing to say to the 'least of these,' if it is wholly unconcerned with social justice, then it is only half a Gospel at best." [1]

In the "Peace with God" sidebar to his chapter on the Theology of Hope, Morrison writes that the church must not remain silent when faced with oppression, and I was impressed by this compelling statement:

"The Church of hope is a politically and socially destabilizing Church; it always stands up against the oppressive status quo. The Church of hope refuses to give up its birthright for a bowl of soup; it refuses to stay silent before the face of injustice and oppression. Hope in the coming of God's Kingdom places us in sharp conflict with every kingdom and rules of the earth. The Church cannot live peacefully with an oppressive political system or an unjust social norm." [2]

Morrison provides an example of injustice in a sidebar on economic inequality that uses statistics to demonstrate that the capitalistic hording of wealth by 1% of humanity, and the excess spending by the United States on military and defense benefits, is so excessive that even a small reduction in this disparity would provide more than enough money to end world hunger. 

"Christian hope refuses to be 'at peace' with these statistics. A better world is possible and necessary. The Church must take a stand for social justice, and rise in defense of the poor and oppressed." [3] 

Dorothee Sölle's criticism in Suffering (1973) that Moltmann's The Crucified God is sadistic, is arguably the most famous criticism of Moltmann, and is used to inoculate Moltmann's protest theology. Typically Sölle's criticism is cited, and Moltmann's response is ignored. Morrison stands up for Moltmann and dedicates several pages of his 250 page book to address this important Moltmann-Sölle exchange in a helpful (dare I say apologetic?) paragraph titled "Sadistic God—or God against God" (pp. 72-77):

I would hope that this quotation [The Church in the Power of the Spirit, p. 95] puts to rest the notion of "God against God" in Moltmann's theology of the cross. Moltmann understands the cross as a unified movement of God's selfless love for the outcasted and the weak, for those who suffer in loneliness. We find no trace, contrary to [Doorthee] Sölle's charge, of a sadistic God. [4]

I followed the tragic execution of Kelly Gissendaner closely, and I am deeply grateful for all those people who were present in protest on the days that she was scheduled to be executed, and those who protested online, such as #kellyonmymind on twitter. So I was encouraged and compelled to protest Capital Punishment and all other forms of vindictive justice anew when I read Morrison's sidebar on "The Death Penalty and Torture". Kelly's day of execution came twice before the state of Georgia executed on the third day, so again I was moved by Morrison's commentary on these events:   

God suffered and died at the hands of the Georgia State executioners together with Kelly Gissendaner; God suffered her psychological torments and was with her in the loneliness of prison—just as God suffered and died in her husband's death, the death she was in jail for orchestrating. Violence will not put an end to the vicious cycles of violence, only suffering love will. The cross is a call to resist all forms of violence and counter-violence. The death penalty is cruel, and there is no Christian justification for it. It is a symptom of the cycles of violence we are called to reject in the name of Christ. [5]

Capital Punishment isn't the only form of state sponsored torture in America today. Morison also reminded me of the horrors of Guantanamo Bay and the torture that has happened there, and that Moltmann's theology reminds the Church to protest all forms of injustice and protest such as this concrete example, and I appreciated that Morrison uses Bob Dylan's A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall to make his point:

Another form of state-sanctioned violence is torture. In America, the best example is the inhumanity of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. . . . Torture is cruel, unnecessary, and it should never be considered acceptable. Torture is a crime and a human injustice in every circumstance, but it is especially grievous when sanctioned by the state. When torture is a politically sanctioned act, no one is held accountable. Bob Dylan sang, in one of his many great songs of protest, "The executioner's face is always well hidden" ("A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"). . . . The crucified Christ delegitimizes all such abuses of state power. [6]

Criticism

Every good book review includes criticism, so as much as I loved Stephen D. Morrison's Jürgen Moltmann in Plain English, I have a few points of criticism to share. First, the quotations of Moltmann are too long, and are frequently a half-page or longer. Readers familiar with Moltmann are likely to skip them, and readers who aren't are likely to stumble over them. The book would have been better if Morrison interlaced his commentary with the quotations, and kept the quotes to a sentence or less to avoid the redundancy of reading a text, and then reading a summary of that same text again. (I'm a bit hypocritical, because I've shared longer quotes in this review, but I stand by this criticism). Also, I'm not a fan of end notes, and I was confused once or twice by the citations quoted as "Ibid.", and had to flip through the pages to find the source attribution. (And yes, I know, that Moltmann's books rarely have footnotes and often do not have subject indexes.) Lastly, Morrison's "In Plain English" series have improved with each new edition, and Morrison's concluding remarks and sidebars are what make this book so great, and I believe that if Morrison continues to improve his method for introducing theologians more concisely and without trepidation, making his summary as good as his conclusions, then Morrison will cease to be an amateur for amateurs. 

Conclusion

Stephen D. Morrison's Jürgen Moltmann in Plain English is my favorite book from him so far! Even Moltmann himself wrote a letter to Stephen D. Morrison to say that he was anxious to read this new book! I am an unashamed moltmanniac, but do not be dissuaded by my fandom when I highly recommend reading this excellent new introduction to Jürgen Moltmann. Morrison has written a bold introduction to Moltmann, and his book demands a specific and prompt response to injustice and oppression in the world today. 

Sources:

1. Stephen D. Morrison, Jürgen Moltmann in Plain English, (Columbus: Beloved Publishing LLC, 2018), p. 37

2. Ibid. 46.

3. Ibid. 50. 

4. Ibid. 75. 

5. Ibid. 85.

6. Ibid. 86.