WHO STOLE MY BIBLE by Rev. Jennifer Butler (Belize)

Who Stole My Bible: Reclaiming Scripture as a Handbook for Resisting Tyranny
by Rev. Jennifer Butler (Belize 1989-91)
Faith in Public Life Publisher
October 2020
180 pages
$9.99 (Kindle); $15.99 (Paperback); (Audio book)

The Bible has been hijacked. We’ve all seen examples of sacred scripture being used and abused to justify racism, sexism, reactionary politics, and even violence. If you have ever found yourself wondering what Bible some of your fellow believers are reading, if you’ve ever asked yourself “Who Stole My Bible?”, then you are not alone. With a foreword from Brian McLaren, Who Stole My Bible?: Reclaiming Scripture as a Handbook for Resisting Tyranny shows how the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is an inspiring handbook for resisting tyranny.

Jennifer Butler loved the Bible and her Christian faith, but then was disillusioned when it was used against her as a woman. Instead of leaving religion, she found a fresh approach to faith as liberation, and would go on to become an ordained minister and founder of Faith in Public Life, an advocacy organization.

Scripture is replete with stories of those who followed God’s call to resist oppression and fearlessly pursue compassion, justice, and human dignity. Chapters focus on the liberating God of the Hebrews, the authoritarianism of King Solomon, the dream team of women in the Bible, and how Jesus came to bring truth and expose the lies of rulers. Each chapter illustrates the lessons of scripture with true stories of courageous religious communities countering authoritarianism and white supremacy in America today. This book will help you connect with generations of prophets and leaders who followed God’s call and prevailed against power to establish justice and community.

If you have been burned and disregarded by the church, this book is for you. If you are on the verge of leaving church because of the bigotry you see among Christians, this book is for you. Jennifer Butler once again rediscovered her Christian spirituality in this work, and if you want to deeply connect your faith with your commitment to a more just and compassionate world, this book is for you.

Jennifer Butler (Belize 1989-91)

Jennifer Butler spent ten years working in the field of international human rights representing the Presbyterian Church (USA) at the United Nations. She’s the former chair of the White House Council on Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships and was an international human rights advocate. While mobilizing religious communities to address the AIDS pandemic and advocate for women’s rights, she grew passionate about the need to counter religious extremism with a strong religious argument for human rights.

Author of Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized, which calls for a progressive religious response to Religious Right’s efforts to take the culture wars global. She writes about progressive faith on Patheos and her writing can be found in Sojourners, The Hill, and Religion News Service.

Jennifer served in the Peace Corps in a Mayan village in Belize, Central America where she discovered she was at heart a community organizer. A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, she also studied public policy and community organizing and graduated with a MSW from Rutgers University. She’s a graduate of the College of William and Mary.

Jennifer and her husband Glenn together run Iona Conversations, a Christian spiritual community in downtown Washington DC. When not dreaming up ways to amplify a social justice faith voice, Jennifer loves camping, hiking and biking with her husband and son. She lives in suburban Washington, D.C. Visit RevJenButler.com.