A Scandalous People
Ephesians on the Meaning of Christian Faith and Human Life
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
This book is not a commentary, an exegetical study, or a work of systematic theology. It is a conversation. Let's sit down together, read Ephesians, strain our minds and our imaginations, and have a good chat. If you want all your difficult textual questions answered, there are many good commentaries on the shelf. This book is here to help you ask some new questions--and not just about this ancient letter, but about God, your life, and the purpose of the entire universe.
Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a work of timeless theological genius which brilliantly addresses many of the enduring questions about human life. It presents a scintillating vision of the glory of God and the meaning of Christian faith. It also brings an urgent and revitalizing message to the church in our time: in Christ, God has enacted a plan for the world which is most surprising in the face of its conventional rationalities and religious common sense. God has invited us to be inhabitants of this redemptive drama through faith, and insofar as we do so, we are a scandalous people.
Micah Carpenter holds degrees in biblical studies, theology, and pastoral ministry from Oak Hills Christian College and Bethel Seminary. He is currently pastoring two churches: Landstad Free Lutheran Church in Shevlin, Minnesota, and Wah-Bun Chapel, Ponemah, Minnesota, the latter in association with Oak Hills Fellowship/Center for Indian Ministries.
“How refreshing to see an exegete wrestle, not with biblical scholarship, but with the text of Scripture itself. And not just any text but, to my mind, perhaps the most important book of the Bible. Add to that Mr. Carpenter’s penetrating insights into Paul’s thinking, and his painting anew Paul’s grand vision of the Christian life—well, we have a book well worth reading and re-reading for years to come.”
—Mark Galli, former editor in chief of Christianity Today
“A Scandalous People does not fit neatly within standard genres of theological books, such as biblical commentary, dogmatic treatise, or devotional. Taking its cues from Barth’s Römerbrief and Augustine’s Confessions, Micah Carpenter’s engaging reflections on Ephesians sit at the nexus of where these more traditional genres meet. Given the genre-bending nature of the Letter to the Ephesians itself, with its theological and sermonic style, such an approach is not only fitting, but also richly rewarding.”
—John Anthony Dunne, Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
“This book was such a delight to read, I found myself sad when it was over. Both personally convicting and encouraging, Carpenter uses theological and philosophical insight with poetry and story to further illuminate the great scandal which is the body of broken believers made whole in Christ.”
—Mike Garry, Communitas Church, Brainerd, Minnesota
“In A Scandalous People, Micah Carpenter embarks on a fascinating dialogue with the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians. Written in clear and engaging prose, he draws us into this letter and invites us to consider its impact for the church today.”
—Jeannine K. Brown, Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
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