On October 6, in the year 1536, a pitiful figure was led from a dungeon in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, Belgium. For nearly a year and a half, the man had suffered isolation in a dark, damp cell.

The Handmaid’s Tale is currently in its final season, but Gilead’s story is going to continue with The Testaments.

In this column, I have been setting the stage for a look at how Jesus’ life itself was a social and political movement.

REFLECTIONS TODAYThe continuing flow of life between Jesus and his disciples acquires a new image here. Through a parable-like pronouncement, Jesus takes ...