Bøker av Donald Blosser

Most people who go to church regularly have some idea of what the pastor does: He (and most are men) preaches sermons, visits the sick and studies the Bible. But very few people get to walk with the pastor throughout the week. Thus they do not experience the stresses and rewards that the pastor lives with on a daily basis. In their eyes, the pastor is morally and ethically one or two steps above the average church member. But in Pastor and Professor the pastor comes alive as a normal human being struggling to live and share the Biblical message with the congregation. Pastor and Professor invites the reader to live with the pastor as he visits the sick (and deals with his own health struggles). They know he preaches sermons, but they seldom wonder about why did he preach that sermon this week. Pastor and Professor allows you to look over the pastor's shoulder as he wrestles with Biblical truth and tries to create a human message biblical message of God's truth in our day. How does the pastor give life to the scriptures when he is struggling with his own life, when he sometimes has doubts about what God is doing, and wonders how do you possibly inspire others when you have questions about your own faith. The pastor is often helped when he remembers that the God, he is trying to explain to the congregation actually took on human form in Jesus and literally lived on the earth being one with humanity at a critical time in human history. Blosser sees the role of the pastor as living among the members of the congregation, sharing in their humanity, being a healthy, human presence as members struggle with the moral and social dilemmas of being human. Thus the pastor is one with members of the congregation, not one who is above all others in their daily living. Blosser is not afraid to share his own doubts, successes and failures as he walked with members who were struggling with life and had their doubts about where God was when they needed God the most. Blosser experiences God as a living presence in our midst who is experienced best as we share together in following Jesus. Having doubts and painful struggles are not indication of a weak faith, but are the first steps in a growing mature faith. Jesus is seen as the living human presence of God who also wrestles with life, but offers hope; who is criticized but continues on with his life mission; who celebrates the presence of God within the gathered faith community.

Most people who go to church regularly have some idea of what the pastor does: He (and most are men) preaches sermons, visits the sick and studies the Bible. But very few people get to walk with the pastor throughout the week. Thus they do not experience the stresses and rewards that the pastor lives with on a daily basis. In their eyes, the pastor is morally and ethically one or two steps above the average church member. But in Pastor and Professor the pastor comes alive as a normal human being struggling to live and share the Biblical message with the congregation. Pastor and Professor invites the reader to live with the pastor as he visits the sick (and deals with his own health struggles). They know he preaches sermons, but they seldom wonder about why did he preach that sermon this week. Pastor and Professor allows you to look over the pastor's shoulder as he wrestles with Biblical truth and tries to create a human message biblical message of God's truth in our day. How does the pastor give life to the scriptures when he is struggling with his own life, when he sometimes has doubts about what God is doing, and wonders how do you possibly inspire others when you have questions about your own faith. The pastor is often helped when he remembers that the God, he is trying to explain to the congregation actually took on human form in Jesus and literally lived on the earth being one with humanity at a critical time in human history. Blosser sees the role of the pastor as living among the members of the congregation, sharing in their humanity, being a healthy, human presence as members struggle with the moral and social dilemmas of being human. Thus the pastor is one with members of the congregation, not one who is above all others in their daily living. Blosser is not afraid to share his own doubts, successes and failures as he walked with members who were struggling with life and had their doubts about where God was when they needed God the most. Blosser experiences God as a living presence in our midst who is experienced best as we share together in following Jesus. Having doubts and painful struggles are not indication of a weak faith, but are the first steps in a growing mature faith. Jesus is seen as the living human presence of God who also wrestles with life, but offers hope; who is criticized but continues on with his life mission; who celebrates the presence of God within the gathered faith community.

Dr Blosser takes us for a walk with Jesus and allows Jesus to speak for himself. What we hear is a message of hope that stands in striking contrast to the current popular Christian message that tells us Jesus came to die on the cross. This message of New Life is important news and needs to be heard by everyone who is serious about following Jesus.- Dr J. Denny Weaver, Prof. of Religion, Bluffton University (ret), author of "The NonViolent Atonement", and "the Nonviolent God" Don Blosser has done an amazing job moving the needle on our beliefs about Jesus' death and resurrection. In a fresh and accessible way, he carefully insists that Jesus' death was not ordered to appease God's wrath, but instead as Jesus' righteous response to evil and human sin. This interpretation may shake some people, but it will be warmly welcomed by the many others who have gotten stuck on an inherited substitutionary atonement theory which seems to deny the loving character of God.- Dr. Linda Mercandante, PhD (Rev), Distinguished Research Professor Theology & Culture, Methodist Theological School in Ohio