Michael J. Gorman – Becoming the Gospel

Guest:  Professor Michael J. Gorman holds the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore, Maryland.  A renowned New Testament scholar, he has written numerous books, including Apostle of the Crucified Lord; Cruciformity; Inhabiting the Cruciform God; Reading Revelation Responsibly; and Elements of Biblical Exegesis.

Episode Details:  St. Francis of Assisi is sometimes remembered as having said, “Preach the gospel at all times; use words if necessary.”  Does this mean that the best way to proclaim the gospel is simply to live it?  Or is an explicit verbal proclamation of the gospel the best way forward?  In this episode, hosted by Matthew Bates, drawing from his new book, Becoming the Gospel, Mike Gorman pushes beyond a simplistic either/or answer.  Reading the Apostle Paul from the vantage point of “missional hermeneutics,” Mike shows the absolute inseparability of proclaiming the gospel and embodying the gospel.  To enter into the saving story of Jesus Christ means to be transformed into the image of Jesus, which is to also become like God–all of which is frequently termed “theosis.”  Be prepared to rethink how categories foundational to the Christian tradition, such as justification and social justice, are inextricably intertwined.  Mike helps us all reconsider how today’s church might more thoroughly enter into the saving mission of God.

Book Details:  Michael J. Gorman, Becoming the Gospel: Paul, Participation, and Mission (Eerdmans, 2015).  The first detailed exegetical treatment of Paul’s letters from the emerging discipline of missional hermeneutics, Michael Gorman’s Becoming the Gospel argues that Paul’s letters invite Christian communities both then and now to not merely believe the gospel but to become the gospel and, in doing so, to participate in the life and mission of God.  Showing that Pauline churches were active public participants in and witnesses to the gospel, Gorman reveals the missional significance of various themes in Paul’s letters. He also identifies select contemporary examples of mission in the spirit of Paul, inviting all Christians to practice Paul-inspired imagination in their own contexts.