Elusive Grace

Scott Black Johnston

Description

The United States is suffering through a season of social and political division unseen since the Civil War. Unrest over long-standing social (especially racial) injustices are confronting new, antidemocratic perspectives and practices. So much is at stake. Will this country fulfill or abandon its historic commitment to equality and civil liberties? Can a nation so divided come together again?

These questions cut to the core of the beliefs articulated by Christian communities. How can we as people of faith reconcile the call to participate in God's ongoing struggle for justice while not losing our souls to hatred? How can we love our enemies in this time? Scott Black Johnston believes that there is a way to pursue this difficult work and that people of faith can light the way. He encourages us to recommit to our highest principles—our virtues—and to turn hearts poisoned by cynicism into instruments of love.

From his pulpit in midtown Manhattan, just one block from Trump Tower, Johnston has a unique perspective on the ideological discord tearing at the nation's fabric. From there, he raises a moral voice that beckons us to become better neighbors, better citizens, better human beings. He calls for the church to model robust advocacy for justice, without denying the full humanity of those on the other side of the argument.

This provocative book brings the wisdom of Scripture into conversation with such diverse minds as Emily Dickinson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ayn Rand, and Mister Rogers. Johnston's prose is by turns erudite and poignant, yet always insightful. He offers not just words of hope but a prescribed course of action for individuals and communities alike, as we look to mend our souls and restore our civic life.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• justice
• Christian Living
• Social Issues
• Philosophie et théologie
• Religious studies
• Emily Dickinson

Informations

• Publié par: Presbyterian Publishing
• Date de parution: 20 septembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781646982677
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

“Scott Black Johnston has written an excellent, timely, and much-needed book. In a season of moral confusion, he speaks boldly of virtues. In a time of bitter division, he speaks tenderly of love. When neighbors lash out at one another, he speaks compellingly of grace and mutual regard. This uplifting volume gives reason for hope, like rain to a parched land.”
– Thomas G. Long , Bandy Professor Emeritus of Preaching, Candler School of Theology of Emory University
“Rather than tell you, the reader, what I thought about Elusive Grace , I would rather tell you how Scott Black Johnston’s latest book made me feel. Honestly, it made me feel encouraged anew to keep trying to be Christian. It reminded me of God’s larger horizon not just for my own life but, even more importantly, for the life of the church and this world. I feel nourished, challenged, joyful, stretched, and recommitted. I know I will reread it through the years, especially on those days when discouragement or fear threaten to take hold. This book is pure gift.”
– Shannon Johnson Kershner , Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
“Scott Black Johnston has a pastoral, prophetic voice that is marked by courage, agility, wisdom, and winsome good humor. In this book, he takes on the tough dilemma so many serious believers face—namely, how to be a sturdy advocate for social justice while at the same time being a reconciling presence with one’s adversaries. His book is a gift of practical, down-to-earth counsel deeply informed by our best theological tradition, the rich discerning experience of Johnston’s own life, and his wide reading. Readers will receive hope-filled guidance for more effective, transformative living amid our deeply divided society. Johnston is a master at showing how the truth of the gospel emerges from and turns up in our daily life.”
– Walter Brueggemann , William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary
“There are some guides that can be written only by people who truly love justice. Well-researched facts about the good and the right can ring hollow if one senses that the writer has no soul commitment to justice. Johnston has skin in the game; his deep-seated desire for a better world splashes across each page. His work overflows with hope and promise for both justice and grace in our time. The book and its author are gifts that light the pathway forward for our troubled and hurting world.”
– Cleophus J. LaRue , Francis Landey Patton Professor of Homiletics, Princeton Theological Seminary
“ Elusive Grace is the medicine we all need to take right now. It is incisive in identifying what is truly ailing our nation while offering a way forward of healing and hope. And like any good doctor, Scott Black Johnston doesn’t sugarcoat the truth but speaks with grace and love. He reminds people of faith not to despair but to seize and share that which is most powerful yet elusive: the grace of God.”
– Charlene Han Powell , Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California
“In the chaos of modern life, there are a few voices that I turn to with regularity for honesty and wisdom; Scott Black Johnston is at the top of that list. With a scholar’s mind, a pastor’s heart, a prophet’s insight, and a poet’s pen, Scott Black Johnston speaks to the critical issues of faith and society. He is honest about how hard things are and hopeful about how things might become. By the end of this book, grace, as elusive as it is, feels closer and more reliable.”
– Tom Are Jr. , Senior Pastor, Village Church, Prairie Village, Kansas
“An engaging summons to the intersection of faith and contemporary social concerns! Scott Black Johnston draws from a deep well of resources—history, Scripture, the arts, congregational ministry, and life—to reflect on this fraught season of incivility. Honestly serious and winsome, hopeful, and grace-filled, he considers how folks might grow in Christian witness and service with this helpful guide for discernment and discussion.”
– Agnes W. Norfleet , Senior Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Pennsylvania
“It is at the same time both exhilarating and frightening to realize that we are invited by God to help shape what lies ahead. Scott Black Johnston understands this, gently but firmly reminding us that we must allow ourselves to be changed if we are to be agents of change in these polarized times. We are called to stop strategizing for survival and instead risk loving the way Jesus did and taught. You can’t know the truth about anyone until you love them, Johnston says. He walks with us through the basic yet radical Christian principles that lead to the deepening of love—a love that can embrace the enemy even while doing justice; a love that will revive the world.”
– Cynthia Rigby , W. C. Brown Professor of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
“With a professor’s deep intellect, a preacher’s engaging storytelling, and a pastor’s compassionate heart, Scott Black Johnston offers wisdom quarried from the traditions of the church’s past. Using that tradition to provide guidance and encouragement amid our tenuous present, he challenges us to a more faithful future, where the church strives toward God’s vision for the world that is the beloved community.”
– Joe Clifford , Pastor, Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, North Carolina
Elusive Grace
Elusive Grace
Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice
Scott Black Johnston
© 2022 Scott Black Johnston
Foreword, afterword, and questions for reflection and discussion
© 2022 Westminster John Knox Press
First edition
Published by Westminster John Knox Press
Louisville, Kentucky
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
All rights reserved . No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Westminster John Knox Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Or contact us online at www.wjkbooks.com .
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971, and 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. In this book Scripture may be paraphrased or summarized.
Excerpt from Thirst by Mary Oliver, published by Beacon Press, Boston. Copyright © 2006 by Mary Oliver, used herewith by permission of the Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency, Inc. Excerpt from “The Night I Learned to Take Chances” by M. Craig Barnes. Copyright 2017 by the Christian Century . Reprinted by permission from the April 19, 2017, issue of the Christian Century.
Book design by Sharon Adams
Cover design by designpointinc.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Johnston, Scott Black, author.
Title: Elusive grace : loving your enemy while striving for God’s justice / Scott Black Johnston.
Description: First edition. | Louisville, Kentucky : Westminster John Knox Press, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: “Calls people of faith to do the difficult work of participating in God’s ongoing struggle for justice, recommitting to our highest principles and turning hearts poisoned by cynicism into instruments of love” — Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022025021 (print) | LCCN 2022025022 (ebook) | ISBN 9780664267896 (paperback) | ISBN 9781646982677 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Christianity and justice. | Love—Religious aspects—Christianity.
Classification: LCC BR115.J8 J645 2022 (print) | LCC BR115.J8 (ebook) | DDC 261.8—dc23/eng/20220718
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022025021
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022025022
Most Westminster John Knox Press books are available at special quantity discounts when purchased in bulk by corporations, organizations, and special-interest groups. For more information, please e-mail [e-mail] .
Grace must find expression in life, otherwise it is not grace.
—Karl Barth
Contents
List of Illustrations
Foreword
  Barbara Brown Taylor
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Study 1: Reclaiming Virtue
Temperance: Dousing the Flames
Justice: Banging on the Door
Prudence: It’s a Beautiful Life
Courage: Seven Times Hotter
Faith: A Letter to Oliver
Hope: At the Bottom of the Box
Love: The Sine Qua Non
Study 2: Retraining Our Hearts
Learning to Love God
Learning to Love Jesus
Learning to Love Mercy
Learning to Love Truth
Learning to Love Your Neighbor
Learning to Love Your Enemy
Learning to Love the Good
Study 3: Regarding the Church
Peace, Unity, and Purity
The Word Proclaimed
Called to a Larger Vision
A Space for Transcendence

Epilogue: Courage for the Called
Afterword
  Patrick Hugh O’Connor
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
About the Author
Notes
Illustrations
Figure 1. The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston and the Rev. Patrick O’Connor. Photo by Vasheena Brisbane. © 2017, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Used with permission.
Figure 2. Edward Burne-Jones, Temperantia , 1872.
Figure 3. George Frederic Watts, Hope , 1875.
Figure 4. Icon of the Resurrection, n.d.
Figure 5. The Fearless Girl statue facing Charging Bull on Broadway in Lower Manhattan. Christopher Penler / Alamy