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February 21, 2024
Pastor Uri Brito, in his new book, The War of the Priesthood, shows that modern Christians often assume an individualistic understanding of Paul’s famous teaching about the armor of God. While we are called to put on the armor, we are not called to fight alone or by ourselves. Rather, Paul has in mind a corporate image that draws on the meaning and imagery of the priestly garments from the Old Testament. In this way, Pastor Brito shows that God has called the Church to be a body of priests assailing the gates of hell armed with God's own armor.
In a recent written interview about his new book, Pastor Brito highlighted modern Christians' need to understand the true nature of priesthood. Being a priest is not an individualistic ideal. He said, "There has been a profound misapplication of Luther's 'The Priesthood of All Believers' doctrine. It has been misunderstood to mean that we are priests unto ourselves and that the self is sufficient. But Luther's doctrine entailed a mutuality of priesthood. We are priests unto others." This truth transforms a Christian's understanding of his role in the spiritual war. We are not lone rangers fighting on our own. Our task is communal.
"A one-man army will not frighten principalities and powers, but an army of saints ready to war against evil will scare hell itself."
Pastor Brito explained the need for this book. "In an age of expressive individualism, we have lost a sense of the holy language from the Old Testament. We have divorced ourselves from the world of our forefathers, and therefore, we think it is no longer fruitful for 21st-century Americans." In looking at this passage in a fresh way, this book helps Christians regain a proper understanding of being a priest unto God and moving forward in the strength of the Lord.
Pastor Brito added, "Peter's language of 'royal priesthood' means that individual priests dressed in God's armor can only function rightly when they are assembled with other priests in battle. A one-man army will not frighten principalities and powers, but an army of saints ready to war against evil will scare hell itself."
Uri Brito spoke on the topic of the armor of God at last year's Called conference at New Saint Andrews College. Called is a high school worldview bootcamp where attendees, ages fifteen to eighteen, are taught how to respond as Christians to a culture gone mad. These talks were the foundational material for this new book.
"My two weeks at Called were deeply moving,” Pastor Brito said about his time last year. “I speak at conferences every year for different audiences, but to engage eager high schoolers with new material was extra meaningful. Their questions were the kinds of questions I hope our generation of young people will ask. Character is often defined by the questions you pose to the world. Those two weeks were proof that holiness produces inquisitive minds."
"Character is often defined by the questions you pose to the world. Those two weeks were proof that holiness produces inquisitive minds."
Pastor Uri Brito serves as the Senior Pastor of Providence Church in Florida. Born in Northeastern Brazil, he has lived in the United States for over 25 years. He serves as a board member of the Theopolis Institute and New Saint Andrews College and is the Senior Fellow for Pastoral Theology for the Center of Cultural Leadership. Pastor Brito also serves as the Presiding Minister of Council for the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC).
The Sword & Shovel Bookstore will host a book-release event with Pastor Brito for his new book on Thursday, February 22, at 5 pm.
