J's Pages

Back in the day, Jesus was criticized by the reputable folks for eating with tax collectors and sinners. He countered that those were the people he came to help. Over the centuries, Jesus' followers tend to keep forgetting that lesson and we start making distinctions between the "good" folks and the "bad" ones. Dr. Ekblad has ministered to those who seem to fall into today's "disreputable" category: campesinos in Honduras, inmates in the Skagit County Jail, and migrant workers in Washington State. As a man who fits into none of these categories, he has been surprised as he shares the scriptures with these folks. Their experiences lead them to bring unique presuppositions about the Bible and God to their studies, as well as unique insights into the text. Dr. Ekblad shares some of these with the reader, as well as his attempts to demonstrating how he tries to draw out the good news of God's love for people who are tempted to think it's not for them. 

I think this is the first book of "liberation theology" that I've read and I find I can't fully embrace it. Given my own Lutheran tradition and beliefs, I can't so easily lay aside the words of law and judgment that the Bible contains, as Dr. Ekblad seems to do. However that doesn't negate the words of grace that were written for the damned, or the love of God that is for each one of us. 

 I think I need to get a copy of this one on my shelf.
LibraryThing link

Labels: OnMyShelf

// posted by John @ 6:03 PM