Martyrdom and Identity

The Revd Dr Michael P. Jensen completed his doctorate in Moral Theology at the University of Oxford in 2008 and lectures in Doctrine at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia.

• 1. Introduction; a. 'I wish to be what I am'.; b. martyrdom and Christian identity - the basis of the link; c. 'identity' and 'the self'; d. Outline; 2. 'What Kind of Idea Are You?' Martyrdom and Identity in Charles Taylor and in Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses; a. Introduction; b. Charles Taylor and Authenticity; c. Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses; d. Conclusion; 3. The First Temptation: The Temptation to Security and the Risk of Martyrdom; a. Introduction; b. Scripture and the martyrs; c. the first temptation; d. Martha C. Nussbaum, the Greeks and luck; e. the martyr and the 'good' life; f. The martyr looking forward; 4. The Second Temptation: The Temptation to Collaborate and the Mission of the Martyrs; a. Introduction; b. the second temptation; c. Richard Rorty and pragmatism; d. the martyr, power and authority; e. suffering and hoping witness: the mission and the martyr; 5. The Third Temptation: The Temptation to Idealism and Martyrdom as Passive Action; a. Introduction; b. The third temptation; c. Roger Scruton, T.S. Eliot and patriotic tradition; d. The martyr, patriotism and action; e. The responsibility of martyrdom.

'Displaying extraordinary literary sensibilities, Jensen illumines how martyrs help us better understand why and how our lives as Christians require the embodiment of narrative. His analysis of Murder in the Cathedral should be required reading for all Christians.' - Stanley Hauerwas, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC, USA Stanley Hauerwas 'A remarkable first book from an Australian scholar of great promise, offering a compelling account of the relation of Christian identity and martyrdom.' - Alister McGrath, Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, King's College, London, UK Alister McGrath 'To both philosophers of narrative identity and devotees of the cult of self-fulfillment, nothing is as counter-intuitive as martyrdom. Jensen here turns conventional wisdom on its head, arguing that martyrdom is not a surrendering (or making) of one's identity but an active reception of one being in Christ. The unexamined life may not be worth living (Socrates), but the untested Christian life is a veritable contradiction in terms. In a secular age of victims and victors, where many feel the burden of self-invention while others await Godot, Jensen urges Christians to communicate their faith in divine providence by resisting the temptation to follow ways that lead to worldly security, power, and status, and instead follow the way of Jesus Christ. Martyrdom - bearing witness to the gospel is a costly communicative act that is not easily dismissed, or refuted. This is a beautifully conceived and practically challenging work from which readers will not quickly recover.' - Kevin j. Vanhoozer, Wheaton College, IL, USA. 'This rich and intricate book by Michael Jenson deserves a wider audience than I fear it may attract. Clearly the outworking of an impressive doctoral thesis... it will reward the careful reader with challenging insights into what it means to be a Christian... Erudite and compelling, Jensen has written a tour-de-force on the nature of the Christian self... Any reader should be prepared to wrestle with themselves.' Regent's Reviews