Additional information
by Henry Walter III Spaulding (Author), Rodney Clapp (Foreword by)
In Between Two Gileads, Spaulding explores the complex intersection of Christian nationalism, fundamentalism, and political theology, focusing on the transformative power of Scripture in shaping political ideologies. Through a critical analysis of Romans 13:1-7 and its historical misinterpretations, Spaulding challenges the rise of authoritarian readings of the Bible, which serve to justify domination and division. Drawing on literary theology, he contrasts the dystopian vision of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale with the grace-filled Gilead of Marilynne Robinson's novels, illuminating two divergent paths for Christian engagement with politics. Through this exploration, Spaulding calls for a theological reimagining of Scripture that resists fundamentalist nationalism, offering a vision of faith that is inclusive, compassionate, and rooted in the redemptive love of God. This book is an urgent call to reclaim the Bible not as a tool of power, but as a wellspring of grace for confronting injustice in our fractured world.
Author Biography
Henry Walter Spaulding III is an Instructor of Religion at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. He is also an adjunct professor of Christian ethics at George Fox University and Ashland University/Ashland Theological Seminary. Spaulding is the author of several books, including The Just and Loving Gaze of God with Us and Iconoclastic Sex, both with Cascade Books. He has contributed articles to Review and Expositor, The Wesleyan Theological Journal, and The Journal for Literary Imagination. He serves as pastor of two United Methodist churches, Trinity United Methodist Church in Grove City, Ohio, and Hope United Methodist Church in Canal Winchester, Ohio. He lives in Columbus with his wife, Michaela.
