![\"newflagmap\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/751\/2016\/03\/newflagmap.jpg\")
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\u201cThe only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. Once there, we will realize that we have arrived at a place beyond all nations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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References to nations exist throughout scripture. In perhaps the most famous verse of all, Jesus told his followers to go and make disciples of \u201call nations\u201d (Matt 28:19). When I look around the world today, I see the consequences of our constructions of nations. National borders divide people. National borders keep people from loving their neighbors. National borders keep protecting the resources of the powerful. National borders continue to be about greed. How can we live behind such borders and follow Jesus? I don\u2019t think we can. The only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. Once there, we will realize that we have arrived at a place beyond all nations.<\/p>\n
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Amen.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u201cThe only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. Once there, we will realize that we have arrived at a place beyond all nations.\u201d \u00a0 References to nations exist throughout scripture. In perhaps the most famous verse of all, Jesus told his followers to go and make disciples of \u201call nations\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2509,"featured_media":4139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[151,329,331,1390,1458,1810,1998,2393,3122],"class_list":["post-4137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-freshwritings","category-thoughts","tag-all-nations","tag-beyond-all-nations","tag-beyond-nations","tag-god","tag-great-commission","tag-jesus","tag-lent","tag-national-borders","tag-scripture"],"yoast_head":"\n
Lenten Remix 29: Beyond Nations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\" "The only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. Once there, we will realize that we have arrived at a place beyond all nations." \" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/lenten-remix-29-beyond-nations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lenten Remix 29: Beyond Nations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\" "The only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. Once there, we will realize that we have arrived at a place beyond all nations." \" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/lenten-remix-29-beyond-nations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Jeff Hood\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-03-10T19:57:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jeff Hood\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jeff Hood\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/lenten-remix-29-beyond-nations\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/lenten-remix-29-beyond-nations\/\",\"name\":\"Lenten Remix 29: Beyond Nations\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-03-10T19:57:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-03-10T19:57:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jeffhood\/#\/schema\/person\/7520c1e5a6c2879d78536396c58007de\"},\"description\":\" \\\"The only way to follow Jesus is to go to all nations. 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Dr. Jeff Hood is a Catholic priest (Old Catholic), theologian, and nationally recognized activist based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A spiritual advisor to death row inmates across the country, Dr. Hood has accompanied more people to their executions than any other advisor in the U.S., including the first-ever nitrogen hypoxia execution in 2024. His work sits at the intersection of justice, radical compassion, and public theology. Dr. Hood holds advanced degrees from Auburn, Emory, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of Alabama, Creighton, and Brite Divinity School, among others. He also earned a PhD in metaphysical theology and founded The New Theology School, where he serves as Dean and Professor of Prophetic Theology. Author of over 100 books\u2014including the award-winning The Courage to Be Queer\u2014Dr. Hood\u2019s writings and activism have been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR, CNN, and more. 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