the Whole Gospel according to Universal Theater of God's Kingdom

Description: When our Father of Faith is tempted to sacrifice his sense of humor on the Altar of God's Demands, God intervenes in a surprising way that really makes Abe laugh. This is the same God whose hungry servant, Elijah, is fed by ravens way out on the ragged edge and towards whom Moses manages a sidewise glance while on the lookout for greener pastures. Then along comes another tough act to follow--the Wild Man of Judea appearing in the Galilee Theater and baptizing Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan River of God's Transforming Power and Hope. Then, in the very next scene, Jésus ben Dios, the Number One Draft Choice in all of Baseball, hops a trial-ways bus to intensive-training camp where he comes face to face with the temptations and adversities of the real world. Fortunately, Jésus has his Spring Training Manual handy for quick reference. Jesus then launches his teaching and healing career in many forms: as a dance instructor, farmer, chef--and even as a flamboyant pyromaniac-arsonist who comes ""not to bring peace to the world"" but to set it on fire. For who can forget Marshal Jesus out along the Border of Sin and Forgiveness encountering the Ten Men-yon? Or the homefolks' chant, ""Dr. Jesus, he's our man! If we can't use him, nobody can!""? Because when Anglo-Catholic Father Jesus meets an average parishioner at the Holy Water Basin and asks her to bless him with it, their engaging conversation prompts students of the bible and pillars of the church to take a second look in order to watch ordinary altar candles suddenly take on more beauty and meaning than they have ever imagined before. So, for those who have eyes to see: Look! Endorsements: ""This welcomed book features emancipated imagination, passionate attentiveness to the biblical text, and good-humored playfulness about words, images, and metaphors. The outcome is a down-home contemporaneity about the Bible now situated in ordinary time with ordinary folk. The Bible can never be the same again when, -""Born again"" turns out to be """"turned inside-out and upside-down; -The Sadducees say to Jesus, ""Bah, Humbug!"" -Jesus says to the Pilate, ""You say I am the Presiding Bishop."" Read, mark, note well . . . and laugh!"" --Walter Brueggemann Columbia Theological Seminary About the Contributor(s): Catherine Whittier Huber received her Masters of Theological Studies from Drew Theological School in 1976. Catherine is a lifelong Episcopalian and an active layperson in her church and diocese. The Rev. Lynn C. McCallum received his Masters of Divinity from Virginia Theological School and was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. Lynn served for over thirty years as a parish priest in the Episcopal Church in Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., Michigan, and Ohio.