Christly Gestures: Learning to Be Members of the Body of Christ [Paperback]

Mr. Brett P. Webb-Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 2004

The church is not only the central place of Christian worship but also a place of faith-filled education. Christly Gestures reframes the very meaning of religious education, exploring what the form and content of Christian learning would look like if local churches truly saw themselves as the body of Christ. / Author Brett Webb-Mitchell begins with the writings of Paul, using them to clarify the biblical image of Christ's body as the community of believers. Taking this powerful analogy to heart, he suggests that Christian education must not only nurture the minds and spiritual lives of church members but also educate their bodies into the "Christly gestures" - performing acts of faith that imitate Jesus and embody the gospel in daily life. In the quest for a richer, more relevant understanding of Christian education, Webb-Mitchell provides meaningful answers to questions concerning the purpose, context, ways, and means of educating Christians today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Assistant professor of Christian nurture at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (February 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802849377
• ISBN-13: 978-0802849373
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #904,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a pilgrim, a parent of two amazing young adults, an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a visiting associate professor at North Carolina Central University (Durham, NC), a writer; and Director of School of the Pilgrim (www.schoolofthepilgrim.com). I've written several books, starting with GOD PLAYS PIANO TOO; UNEXPECTED GUESTS AT GOD'S BANQUET; DANCING WITH DISABILITIES; SACRED SEASONS; CHRISTLY GESTURES; FOLLOW ME; ON BEING A GAY PARENT; and BEYOND ACCESSIBILITY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning and teaching with head, hands, and heart, May 2, 2003

By 

"rdlewis8" (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christly Gestures: Learning to Be Members of the Body of Christ (Paperback)

In Christly Gestures, Brett Webb-Mitchell moves from being an advocate for disabled persons within the church to being an advocate for a disabled church. With insight and grace, he diagnoses the disconnect between head, heart, and hands that plagues much of modern Christian education. Then, blending excellent scholarship with stories drawn from his own rich experience, Webb-Mitchell proposes an alternative (but age-old) practice of education that returns the church to its roots in relational, experiential, scriptural, and spiritually-grounded formation of mind, body, and soul. Christly Gestures gives an exciting way forward for those seeking to discover what it truly means to learn, live, and teach together as members of the body of Christ.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A recommended book about Christian education, November 10, 2004

By 

Lu Gan (San Diego, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christly Gestures: Learning to Be Members of the Body of Christ (Paperback)

The author first challenges today's Christian education methods, conventional Sunday school and catechetical instruction, which in his eyes have almost failed its purposes for three reasons: 1) content is irrelevant to people's real lives. 2) Students are not engaged in true dialogue and learning. 3) Individualistic pedagogy fails to embrace community learning. Church life in its entirety should be formational instead of informational. The author argues that Christians should learn to perform Christly gestures rather than simply gain historical facts and other people's theological ideas. When Christians value Christly gestures, practice them in the church community, and learn to live them out in the real life with the help of Holy Spirit, transformation happens. Christly Gestures reshapes the very meaning of Christian education, exploring what the form and content of Christian learning would look like if local churches truly saw themselves as the body of Christ.

Another point I like about his book is that it equally emphasizes on the formation of spirit, mind, and body, and contends for a deep unity of body and mind, of thought and action. In fact, as Brett discovers, the formation of human body receives the least attention in the fields of religious education and theology. The cons: this book claims to write for lay leaders and local Christian educators, but its writing style, complex theological discussion, and short of practical examples make it more suitable for students and teachers of religious institutions than for Sunday school teachers.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christly gesturer, March 25, 2006

By 

Joe Cool 427 "In terrorem fidei defenso" (The World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christly Gestures: Learning to Be Members of the Body of Christ (Paperback)

Woderful book for this times of chaos. Well written and defiantly provocative to get out of the ordinary Sunday s[i]ndrome. A well versed oasis for the church and its components.

I recommend it very much to anyone that feels dthe wieght ofsocial pressures and sunday morning routine.