In this exciting book, Longenecker follows in the imaginative footsteps of Chesterton and Lewis. He sees and seizes the thrill of truth with insights of pyrotechnic brilliance.”—Joseph Pearce, author, Through Shakespeare’s Eyes 68598 9780824526771 What’s a kid to do when recurring hallucinations lead him to believe that he’s possessed by the devil? In the case of one boy with an over-active imagination and a Catholic parochial school upbringing, you don’t tell a single soul for fear of being ridiculed, sent away for treatment, or perhaps even burned at the stake. Instead, you wage a private holy war against Satan. 68013 9780824526788 This book offers a bold re-reading of the life of Jesus as “Christ liberator,” the ultimate rebel against unjust and confining social systems and self-serving doctrines. Follow Jesus’ “dangerous” example, the author suggests, to live more richly and truthfully. Drawing from the best contemporary scholarship, bestselling author Diarmuid O’Murchu deconstructs the history of Christianity, and specifically the life of Jesus Christ, as it has been represented over the past two thousand years. With rich language and clear metaphors, O’Murchu speaks to every Christian who desperately seeks affirmation that the Christian faith is a much bigger, deeper, and more challenging institution than churches have ever acknowledged or proclaimed. According to O’Murchu, Jesus was never an earthly prince, but rather the first rebel, a countercultural outsider who sought to empower the oppressed and marginalized while questioning the core beliefs of longstanding institutions—and ultimately paying a mortal price for his convictions. Using this portrait of Jesus, each chapter addresses a range of common human problems that Christ himself overcame, such as understanding others, resolving hostilities, discovering empowerment by suffering, and preserving personal identity in a globalized world. O’Murchu’s stunning conclusions serve to reintroduce the world to the revolutionary Jesus, giving his story new life and relevance for the modern age. Diarmuid O’Murchu is a spiritual genius.  He really gets the Gospel and he gets it from many angles! Read this book and you will know I am not exaggerating.”—[Fr.] Richard Rohr,O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation Albuquerque, New Mexico