Jesus Changes Everything: A New World Made Possible(Plough Spiritual Guides)

How can we make the gospel central to our lives? For decades, Stanley Hauerwas has been provoking Christians with his insistence that if they would only follow their Master, it would impact all areas of life, from the personal to the societal. The lanky Texan whom Time magazine dubbed “America’s theologian” for his zinging insights into today’s ethical questions says Christians should stop bemoaning their loss of cultural and political power and instead welcome their status as outsiders and embrace the radical alternative Jesus has had in mind for them all along. These accessible readings selected from Hauerwas’s seminal books will introduce a timely, prophetic voice to another generation of followers of Jesus tired of religion as usual.

About the Author :
Stanley Hauerwas, a theologian and Christian ethicist, is professor emeritus of theological ethics and of law at Duke University and the author or editor of more than fifty books. Tish Harrison Warren is an Anglican priest, author, and former New York Times columnist. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. Charles E. Moore is a contributing editor for Plough, the author of several books, and a member of the Bruderhof.

Review :
Hauerwas’ appeal stretches across denominations and church traditions, and believers often welcome his bold invitations to rethink cherished assumptions in the light of Scripture. That boldness is on full display in Jesus Changes Everything: A New World Made Possible, which gathers a representative sampling of writings from Hauerwas’s classic books. —Christianity Today With his signature approach that prompts the audience to wonder if there’s another way to think about a topic, Hauerwas talks about the books that shaped him, how he came to be a theologian, and why he believes that being a Christian is the most interesting thing that could happen to a person. —Dr. Russell Moore, The Russell Moore Show Hauerwas is provocative, but not for provocation’s sake. He calls us back to the disruptive words of Jesus, and to the church – to a community of ordinary people who are meant to learn to follow Jesus in the concreteness of our lives in a complex world. He is clear that following Jesus will always come at a cost and will disassemble most of our expectations about how our lives should turn out.” —Tish Harrison Warren For a long time, Stanley Hauerwas has been urging the followers of Christ to be “resident aliens,” where the church is not trying to “take the seven mountains” of cultural influence and certainly not to found a theocracy as a political power. But neither is Hauerwas calling us into a Christian conclave as lumps of tasteless salt and bucket-covered lamps. … In this tight, clear manifesto, the author reorients us to Jesus. He shows us how Jesus’ story can be our story, and from that center, trust the ripples. A keeper. —Clarion Journal Hauerwas writes with simplicity and clarity about what it means to be a Christian, to follow Christ. He takes his faith seriously, and his reading of the Gospels and especially of the Sermon on the Mount will challenge most contemporary Christians, regardless of your political or economic leanings. Highly recommended for academic, seminary, and parish libraries. Hauerwas’s words would make for a great parish book discussion, retreat readings, or Lenten study. —Catholic Library World Anyone who has extensively studied the work of Hauerwas will recognize most of what this book includes. Yet, somehow, this book feels like fresh content. That’s an achievement in itself. …Indeed, I think this format is an incredible way of introducing people to Hauerwas. Despite the demanding implications of Hauerwas’s work, the material here is not remotely dense. It’s entirely accessible, and it introduces more of his complex ideas in a way that makes his arguments very clear. —Englewood Review of Books Few theologians... no... few human beings have influenced my life more than Stanley Hauerwas. This new book, a carefully crafted collection of Stanley's best vignettes, is a great intro to his thought, and a reminder of the way his words have impacted so many of us over the years. Congrats to Charles Moore on collaborating this good work with Stan. Blessings on it. —David E. Fitch, author of Faithful Presence Stanley Hauerwas still knows how to afflict the comfortable who populate the theological and political spectrum. In Jesus Changes Everything: A New World Made Possible, he insists Christians of all stripes must center their lives on obeying the teachings and following the sacrifice of Jesus. Twenty-five readings provide a collection of greatest hits for readers who have followed Hauerwas for years and a focused introduction for others encountering him for the first time. —Baptist News Global