Good News For a Fractured Society: Matthew Speaks to Divisions of Power, Wealth, Gender, and Religious Pluralism (Paperback)

~ Stephen McCutchan (Author)
Key Phrases: reformed future, funeral lament, Fractured Society, Son of Man, Mount of Olives (more...)

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Product Description

Given the ideologically divided, tension-filled world in which we live, imagine hearing someone tell you how God can work through these divisions in a way that offers hope and healing for the world. The author suggests that this is exactly what Matthew sought to do in his gospel. The Hebrew Scriptures tell the story of how God chose to accomplish a divine work of reconciliation through a chosen people who demonstrated the same strengths and weaknesses as most people in the world today. Matthew interpreted the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the midrash, or commentary on these Hebrew Scriptures, that revealed how God works with both the shadow side and the bright side of our human nature to accomplish the divine purpose. The contemporary church, in a similar manner to Matthew's congregation, must determine the church's response to a world divided between the powerful and the powerless (Chapter 1), the Christian faith and other faiths (Chapter 2), male and female (Chapter 3), and the wealthy and the poor (Chapter 4). Following an interpretation of how Matthew found hope in the face of such divisions, the fifth chapter recognizes that most contemporary churches feel helpless in the face of such overwhelming realities. The author then describes Matthew's understanding of how God works through resistance and even betrayal to transform the world. The final chapter explores God's intention to bring about a common witness of Jews and Christians in the reconciliation of the entire world. This book will provide a vision of hope that will enable Christians to respond with strength to the challenges of the world and have confidence that their efforts are not in vain. A study guide is included in the introduction. You may reach the author on his web page at www.smccutchan.com.

About the Author

The author has spent thirty-eight years in the pastoral ministry interpreting the Gospel to lay people who experience the tension of division in their world. For the past twenty-three years, he has combined ministry with his middle-class congregation with monthly involvement in counseling the poor in his city. He helped found the Presbyterian Interracial Dialogue that works with six Presbyterian churches, three predominantly Black and three predominantly White, building community that breaks down the barriers of racism. His church has participated in regular activities with the Jewish community. Three times the church shared in an interfaith, interracial Habitat build that included Christians, Jews, and Muslims; Caucasians, Blacks, and Hispanics. He has been a featured speaker at Moravian, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian convocations. The author published Experiencing the Psalms with Smyth & Helwys. In 2000 the author received the Jim Angell award from the Presbyterian Writer's Guild for the best first book published by a Presbyterian in that year. He has published ten articles in various religious journals. He is currently working on a novel that depicts the life of a pastor in Washington, D.C., where the author spent the first seven years of his ministry. Salem Presbytery, which consists of 150 churches, has made his theological reflections on the lectionary available to Salem's clergy and churches. He is a regular contributing member to The Immediate Word, an online commentary on the lectionary. He has coauthored two plays exploring racism, one of which has been performed several times. He is currently involved in a project to explore how churches can minister to their pastors and prevent them from burning out as they minister to their congregations. His web page is at www.smccutchan.com .

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (October 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1425956785
• ISBN-13: 978-1425956783
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,337,572 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Word for a Vulnerable Time, February 6, 2007

By	Robert W. Henderson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With his typical diligence and honesty, Steve offers a careful reading of the gospel of Matthew and gleans from it a strong and hopeful message particularly relevant for out times. Accessible yet substantive, this book provides the basis for a good group study and serves the intellectually and spiritually curious.