The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper
(Format used for this read: print–paperback)
I used this book as a bible study so I took my time reading it. I started it late Nov 2018 and just finished it.
Here is a summary:
“God once declared everything in the world “very good.”
Can you imagine it?
Through careful exploration of the biblical text, particularly the first three chapters of Genesis, Lisa Sharon Harper shows us what “very good” can look like today—in real time.
Shalom is what God declared. Shalom is what the Kingdom of God looks like. Shalom is when all people are treated equitably and have enough. It’s when families are healed. It’s when churches, schools, and public policies protect human dignity.
Shalom is when the image of God is recognized, protected, and cultivated in every single human. It is the vision God set forth in the Garden and the restoration God desires for every broken relationship. Shalom is the “very good” in the gospel.
Because despite our anxious minds, despite divisions, and despite threats of violence, God’s vision remains: wholeness for a fragmented world. Peace for a hurting soul. Shalom.
“Lisa has unleashed the whole-ism of shalom. Her application of the good news for America, for our culture, in the world, reminds us that God is bigger than our problems.”
-Dr John Perkins
“For anyone who has ever wondered if we were meant for more, Lisa Sharon Harper provides a resounding yes, revealing Gods eternal vision of shalom for all creation-people, families, genders, races, and the nations. Our gospel has been presented in a shallow way-and unattractive in its narrowness. The Very Good Gospel declares the breadth of Gods word, reconciling social justice and personal salvation, and inviting readers to share the rich message of shalom for all people, as it was intended.”
-Michael Eric Dyson
Each chapter addresses the concept of shalom and how it relates to various topics:
Shalom with God, with self, with creation, between genders, for broken families, race, between nations, witnessing peace and with death.
I processed so much reading this book and unpacked deep theology that was mind blowing to me, especially the chapter on Shalom Between Genders.
It really had me reassess and reevaluate the Westernized Christianity I am so familiar with.
I took LOTS of notes while reading this and plan to go back thru it again.