Exploring the theme of diversity, the story follows Josey as she discovers that people's differences are part of God's creative design. With her father's guidance, she learns to appreciate the uniqueness in everyone. The narrative invites children and their adult readers to engage in discussions about the importance of diversity. Additionally, the author includes a note to foster deeper conversations about the themes presented in the book.
Reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition can help us connect with a rich faith history and address the urgent issues of our times. Demonstrating an ongoing conversation between the collective Black experience and the Bible, New Testament scholar Esau McCaulley shares a personal and scholarly testament to the power and hope of Black biblical interpretation.
This book explores the link between Paul's belief that Jesus is Israel's Messiah, and his interpretation of the Abrahamic Land Promise in Galatians. Countering claims that Paul replaces the Promised Land with the gift of the Spirit or salvation, Esau McCaulley argues that Paul expands this inheritance to include the whole earth; believing that, as the seed of Abraham and David, Jesus is entitled to the entire world as his inheritance and kingdom. McCaulley argues that scholars have neglected Paul's expanded interpretation of the inheritance of the earth, rarely appreciate the role that messianism plays in Galatians, and fail to acknowledge that Second Temple authors often portrayed royal and messianic figures as God's means of fulfilling the promises made to Abraham and Israel, via the establishment of kingdoms. Through a comparison of texts from the Pseudepigrapha, apocrypha, and the Dead Sea Scrolls with Galatians 3:1-4:7, 5:21, McCaulley argues Paul's interpretation of Jesus's death is a manifestation of Second Temple messianism because it ends the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy and begins the restoration of the inheritance to Abraham's offspring through the establishment of Jesus's worldwide kingdom; he concludes that Paul's interpretation of the Abrahamic inheritance is inseparable from his belief that Jesus is Israel's Messiah.
From a New York Times contributing opinion writer and award-winning author, this intergenerational account explores a family's quest for home and hope. Esau McCaulley reflects on his life, shaped by childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father, ultimately achieving a middle-class existence as a university professor. However, his perspective shifts dramatically upon learning of his father's death in a car crash, leading him to deliver the eulogy and confront his father's complicated legacy. This pivotal moment prompts McCaulley to delve into his family's history, revealing the influences of his great-grandmother Sophia, a prophetic tenant farmer in Jim Crow Alabama, and his mother Laurie, who raised four children alone amid societal stigma. Through the stories of family, friends, and neighbors, McCaulley highlights their small victories in a world designed to marginalize Black lives. With profound honesty, he raises essential questions about our obligations to one another and the essence of humanity. This compelling narrative challenges simplistic views on poverty and upward mobility, giving voice to those often excluded from the American Dream. It is a thrilling and tender exploration of the Black experience in America.