The Empire/Servility Syndrome
This is a draft of the first chapter of the book
A Moral Creed for All Christians by Daniel C. Maguire, online at The Religious Consultation on population, reproductive health & ethics.
(via
Marquette Warrior)
Maquire's thesis is that
Jesus ... was not killed so that his suffering would expiate for our sins... . No, Jesus was crucified as a rebel against empire.
There's a similar sentiment in the USCCB pamphlet on
dramatizations of the Passion. [PDF].
Accept this, and the Life of Jesus becomes The Life of Brian.