Pastor, activist, and Civil Righteousness founder Jonathan Tremaine Thomas celebrates the release of his new book, MAKE STRAIGHT THE PATH: Following the Just One into Righteousness and Peacemaking through Holy Activism, published this week by Nelson Books.
In this book, Thomas offers a compelling vision for what he calls “holy activism,” a Christ-centered approach to justice, reconciliation, and spiritual formation. Drawing from Scripture, history, personal experience, and years of ministry in communities affected by racial tension and social unrest, Thomas challenges believers to move beyond partisan extremes and embrace the transformative way of Jesus.
Rather than choosing between personal spirituality and public engagement, Thomas argues that authentic Christian witness requires both. He invites readers into a deeper life of prayer, fasting, repentance, and worship while also equipping them to become peacemakers, bridge builders, and agents of reconciliation in their communities.
At the heart of the book is a call to inhabit the “radical middle,” a place where followers of Christ resist both rage and indifference and instead pursue courageous love, restorative justice, and Spirit-led action. Thomas offers practical tools for navigating difficult cultural conversations, confronting injustice without dehumanizing others, and participating in God’s work of healing a divided world.
Rich in biblical insight and grounded in lived experience, MAKE STRAIGHT THE PATH provides a roadmap for Christians seeking to embody the Kingdom of God amid political turmoil, racial division, and cultural conflict. It is a timely invitation to turn places of pain into places of God’s presence and to become active participants in the ministry of reconciliation.
About Jonathan Tremaine Thomas
Jonathan Tremaine Thomas is the founder and president of Civil Righteousness, a nonprofit movement committed to reconciliation and restorative justice through spiritual formation and grassroots engagement. His work has reached over 400 cities globally and has been featured on major media outlets, including Christianity Today. Based in Ferguson, Missouri, Jonathan is a trusted voice in the Church and a sought-after speaker at conferences, universities, and churches nationwide.
About Nelson Books
Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, is an industry leader in Christian nonfiction publishing. Nelson Books publishes a diverse array of leaders, experts, and creatives, crafting biblically informed and spiritually fresh books from a Christian perspective that enliven, educate, and encourage readers. The Nelson Books roster of bestselling authors includes Lysa TerKeurst, Tim Tebow, John Mark Comer, John & Stasi Eldredge, Jennie Allen, Jefferson Bethke, Bob Goff, Ruth Chou Simons, Tyler Staton, Jason Wilson, Christine Caine and Zach Windahl.
Contact:
Devin Duke, Senior Publicity Manager, Nelson Books, Devin.Duke@HarperCollins.com
