"Christ" is the Greek word for Messiah or King. To believe in Jesus Christ, therefore, is to affirm more than certain doctrinal statements about his divinity or the assurance of eternal life. To believe in Christ is to refuse to acknowledge anyone else in this life as King. It is to insist that the powers and principalities of this world do not have authority over us, even when they appear to be in charge. The New Testament writers boldly portray Jesus meeting the powers of this world head on in a showdown. And when it was over and the dust had settled, the resurrection story claims: those powers had been dismantled.

Walter Cronkite used to conclude his summary of the evening news by saying, "And that's the way it is." Political, industrial and religious bureaucrats echo the words, and usua…