In this fascinating, earnest book, Nikondeha contextualizes the first Advent within the cultural moment at the time of Jesus’s birth. Written with boldness and integrity, this book gently educates, leaving the reader with a clarified understanding of the radical implications of Christ’s arrival in a time and to a people besieged by oppression and tragedy. 

Nikondeha is a bonafide storyteller and peacemaker. She weaves her scholarly research with her own experiences visiting Bethlehem and Jerusalem. She makes plain the astounding truth of Jesus’s intentional alignment with those on the margins and the ways he exposed himself to very real human suffering. 

I learned so much from this book, but two particular things stand out. First, Joseph’s faithfulness. We hear often of Mary and the Magnificat (rightly so!) but Nikondeha gave me fresh eyes for the ways that Joseph was facing down cultural and imperial pressures by standing by Mary and repeatedly conceding to angelic instructions. Second, the present-day ways that Palestinians are policed and controlled hearkens back to long before now and grievously impacts the lives of people who simply seek to steward the land and stories they have carried for generations. When we talk about intergenerational trauma, oh boy, is that relevant. 

If you are curious about context in relation to the narratives within Christian Bible, I strongly recommend you add this to your list! It’s especially timely as Advent is just around the corner.