A Companion to Philemon

· Wipf and Stock Publishers
Ebook
154
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Eligible

About this ebook

When is the last time you heard a sermon, Bible study, or even read the Letter to Philemon? For some the answer is “recently” but for too many the answer is “it has been a long time” or worse yet “never.” Why is it that Philemon, though included in the Christian canon, is not read and studied as a text with theological depth that is helpful for serious study and preaching? In A Companion to Philemon, Lewis Brogdon insists that a part of the reason is the interpretation that Paul is sending a thieving runaway slave back to his good master. This interpretation is not only problematic, it is also theologically limiting and offers the church very little to reflect on as we face mammoth issues of inclusion and fellowship such as racism, sexism, and classism. A Companion to Philemon challenges the church to reimagine the interpretation of Philemon by focusing on the role exclusion had in the events that led to his departure from Philemon. Using the issue of exclusion, Brogdon takes the interpretation of Philemon in new directions that not only invite the church to read Philemon but also challenge us to examine both our understanding and practice of Christian fellowship today.

When is the last time you heard a sermon, Bible study, or even read the Letter to Philemon? For some the answer is “recently” but for too many the answer is “it has been a long time” or worse yet “never.” Why is it that Philemon, though included in the Christian canon, is not read and studied as ...

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About the author

Dr. Lewis Brogdon is a distinguished religious scholar, public intellectual, author, and prophetic voice on issues such as the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., reparations for African Americans, nihilism in Black America, slavery in the Bible, Black religion, and the enduring legacy of racism in the United States. He has been invited to speak at influential platforms including the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent—an advisory body to the United Nations Human Rights Council — as well as at numerous media outlets, churches, colleges, and community organizations across the country. Dr. Brogdon has offered prayers at the National Press Club and the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C. and delivered keynote addresses at prominent events such as the 2023 Virginia Counselors’ Association annual meeting and Dayton, Ohio’s city-wide Martin Luther King Jr. dinner. His international teaching includes lectures on Black Studies in Jerusalem, Haiti, and the Bahamas. He has taught his course on Martin Luther King Jr. at four institutions, including a session with Dr. Cornel West, and has lectured at a range of universities including the University of Central Florida, Abilene Christian University, Louisville Seminary, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Claflin University, Radford University, Campbellsville University, Bluefield University, and North Park Theological Seminary. Dr. Brogdon currently serves as Associate Professor of Black Church Studies and Executive Director of the Institute for Black Church Studies at BSK Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Bluefield University in Virginia. A prolific author, his works include Hope on the Brink: Understanding the Emergence of Nihilism in Black America, The Bible in the Ashes of Social Chaos: An Introduction to Problematic Texts, and The Gospel Beyond the Grave: Toward a Black Theology of Hope.

Dr. Lewis Brogdon is a distinguished religious scholar, public intellectual, author, and prophetic voice on issues such as the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., reparations for African Americans, nihilism in Black America, slavery in the Bible, Black religion, and the enduring legacy of racism in...

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