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by Jarvis J. Williams (Author)
This book provides a comprehensive biblical and theological survey of the people of God in the Old and New Testaments, offering insights for today's transformed and ethnically diverse church.
Jarvis Williams explains that God's people have always been intended to be a diverse community. From Genesis to Revelation, God has intended to restore humanity's vertical relationship with God, humanity's horizontal relationship with one another, and the entire creation through Jesus. Through Jesus, both Jew and gentile are reconciled to God and together make up a transformed people.
Williams then applies his biblical and theological analysis to selected aspects of the current conversation about race, racism, and ethnicity, explaining what it means to be the church in today's multiethnic context. He argues that the church should demonstrate redemptive kingdom diversity, for it has been transformed into a new community that is filled with many diverse ethnic communities.
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God's Vision for an Ethnically Diverse Church
This book offers a comprehensive biblical and theological survey of the diverse people of God from Genesis to Revelation, with a final chapter applying the survey to race, racism, and ethnicity.
"Jarvis has made clear what many lovers of the Scriptures have always known, that God's desire to create a multiethnic, just, and God-honoring kingdom for his glory is a truth that bursts forth from every page of the Bible. For those who want a guide that traces this theme as it winds its way through the twists and turns of Scripture, this book is for you."
--Esau McCaulley, Wheaton College; author of Reading While Black
"Redemptive Kingdom Diversity revisits the multiethnic nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Scripture within the framework of God's redemptive purpose throughout both testaments. Its call to inclusion of all races in the church is most timely and urgent as the church continues to battle the age-old sin of racism."
--M. Sydney Park, Beeson Divinity School
"This book provides a resource for discussing and preaching about Christian interracial unity, especially by exploring biblical questions regarding the identity of God's people in Christ and the important implications this identity has for our unity in diversity."
--Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary
"With the Black Lives Matter movement and systemic racism dominating the headlines, many may wonder if the Judeo-Christian Scriptures are still relevant. Williams recaptures the Scriptures' radical, transformative vision of God's incredible love for each of us, a love intended to heal and to bring people together regardless of skin color, social hierarchies, walk of life, or ethnicity."
--A. Andrew Das, Elmhurst University
"Williams reminds us once again that the kingdom of God is not just diverse today but has always been diverse. This book will lead us into conversation about how we merge our multicultural reality into the oneness of the body of Christ."
--George Yancey, Baylor University
"An extraordinary foundation for evangelicals to build on in pursuit of racial solidarity. The applications provided in the book are innovative, practical, and refreshingly challenging, and they position evangelicalism to allow the Bible to shape its views on race rather than relying on problematic categories from the social sciences. This is the first book evangelicals should read on race in the church."
--Anthony B. Bradley, The King's College
Author Biography
Jarvis J. Williams (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of numerous books, including For Whom Did Christ Die? The Extent of the Atonement in Paul's Theology, Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse of the Law: A Jewish Martyrological Reading of Galatians 3.13, a commentary on Galatians, and a forthcoming commentary on Romans. He has also written popular books and articles on race, racism, and reconciliation.
