Reforming the Household of God

Contextualizes how Paul the Apostle engaged metaphors to bridge the divide of differences in his communities, offering insight into how Christians might do the same today.Endorsements"If the household of God that is the living Church is to flourish as a space where all can belong, we need to meet the major challenges we face as Christians with a commitment to compassionate listening, a willingness to engage in difficult or even painful conversations, and a genuine dedication to taking action that serves our siblings in the human family. For crucial conversations about lay leadership, institutional reform, and community belonging to take place, the faithful must first feel empowered to see and articulate connections between their lived experiences and the foundational texts that are part of the authoritative canon of Scripture. We have to grapple with those New Testament letters that talk about what it means to belong."--from the introduction"In our age of polarity, could there be a timelier book than Allison Gray's Reforming the Household of God: Paul's Models of Belonging? In this informed and readable book, Gray contextualizes how Paul the Apostle engaged metaphors to bridge the divide of differences in his communities, offering insight into how Christians might do the same today."--Laurie Brink, OP, professor of New Testament studies, Catholic Theological Union"This incredible body of work expresses the genius of Allison Gray and is a significant contribution to the canon of liberative Christian praxis."--Rev. Stephen A. Green, pastor and activist, The Luke, NYCAllison L. Gray, PhD, is associate professor and currently the interim director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. She earned a doctorate from the University of Chicago in New Testament and early Christian literature. She is the recipient of the University's 2019 Alice Wright Franzke Feminist Award and the 2020 Distinguished Faculty Award.+