July 27, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #82, John Dear on the Raising of Lazarus
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear reflects on the Gospel of John, chapter 11, the story of the raising of Lazarus, based on his book, Lazarus Come Forth! In this podcast, he offers a dramatic socio-political re-reading of the story.
John Dear proposes that the author of John’s Gospel rewrote the story of Jesus to portray Jesus as the God of life who calls humanity in the person of Lazarus out of the tombs of death, out of empire, violence and war, and commands us to unbind humanity from the trappings of death and let humanity go free in the fullness of life and resurrection peace. The message is: have nothing to do with death, with violence, injustice, war or anything that inflicts death on others. Instead, live life to the full, and help others live life to the full!
He’ll review how the male disciples promise to walk with him but never show up; how the professional mourners weep over Lazarus, even though they just tried to stone Jesus to death; how Martha tries to stop Jesus’ nonviolent resistance; and how Jesus announces, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever is fully alive here and now in the present moment of resurrection peace, and believes in me as I walk the way of life and nonviolence and confront the forces of death, will never die.” “Do you believe this?” he asks us.
As Jesus approaches the tomb, he issues three new commandments: “Take away the stone!” “Lazarus/Humanity come forth!” and “Unbind humanity and let him go free.” John will conclude that this is the climactic call of John’s Gospel, and our mission today: to take away the stone that keeps humanity stuck in empire, war, poverty, racism, injustice, fascism, greed, MAGA, nuclear weapons, and the culture of death; to call humanity forth out of the culture of death, and to unbind one another to live free in the new life of love and peace. Listen in and see what you think. God bless you!
Upcoming Zoom Programs:
AUG
22
11 am PT / 2pm ET
Todd Walatka on Saint Oscar Romero’s Prophetic Voice for Peace
SEP
19
John Dear’s new book
Universal Love:
Surrendering to the God of Peace
By John Dear
For more information, click here
Available from www.orbisbooks.com or call 1-800-258-5838, or Amazon.com
July 27, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #82, John Dear on the Raising of Lazarus
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear reflects on the Gospel of John, chapter 11, the story of the raising of Lazarus, based on his book, Lazarus Come Forth! In this podcast, he offers a dramatic socio-political re-reading of the story.
John Dear proposes that the author of John’s Gospel rewrote the story of Jesus to portray Jesus as the God of life who calls humanity in the person of Lazarus out of the tombs of death, out of empire, violence and war, and commands us to unbind humanity from the trappings of death and let humanity go free in the fullness of life and resurrection peace. The message is: have nothing to do with death, with violence, injustice, war or anything that inflicts death on others. Instead, live life to the full, and help others live life to the full!
He’ll review how the male disciples promise to walk with him but never show up; how the professional mourners weep over Lazarus, even though they just tried to stone Jesus to death; how Martha tries to stop Jesus’ nonviolent resistance; and how Jesus announces, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever is fully alive here and now in the present moment of resurrection peace, and believes in me as I walk the way of life and nonviolence and confront the forces of death, will never die.” “Do you believe this?” he asks us.
As Jesus approaches the tomb, he issues three new commandments: “Take away the stone!” “Lazarus/Humanity come forth!” and “Unbind humanity and let him go free.” John will conclude that this is the climactic call of John’s Gospel, and our mission today: to take away the stone that keeps humanity stuck in empire, war, poverty, racism, injustice, fascism, greed, MAGA, nuclear weapons, and the culture of death; to call humanity forth out of the culture of death, and to unbind one another to live free in the new life of love and peace. Listen in and see what you think. God bless you!
Listen on Apple, Spotify, all major platforms,
and the National Catholic Reporter
