The Five Commandments of Jesus

Book excerpt: "In The Five Commandments of Jesus: A New Approach to Christianity, Patrick Amer presents to the ordinary Christian and the theologian alike his new, refreshing, and clear approach to the mission and meaning of Jesus of Nazareth. Amer identifies the five commandments of Jesus as central within the recorded ethical teachings of Jesus. These five commandments show the continued relevance and importance of Jesus in expressing God's will and plan for humankind. The book is clearly written and readily accessible to all readers. Discussion groups across denominations will find that this book meets each reader at the exact point at which we all find ourselves today." Roger Haight, S. J., Union Theological Seminary In this book, Patrick Amer describes his discovery of the five commandments of Jesus. He shows that the commandments are not a random selection of commands. They are an integrated and focused attack on humanity's most deeply embedded anti-social behaviors, those placed there by natural selection. He shows that these behaviors were in ancient times absorbed into humanity's public institutions, and they are still there. The kingdom of God is the community of men and women who live by the five commandments of Jesus, applying them in their personal lives and to public institutions as well. This book examines each commandment to show how it is to be practiced in one's personal life and how it is to be applied to public institutions. By practicing the five commandments of Jesus, the followers of Jesus participate in his redeeming mission and with him save the world.