Our Good Crisis: Overcoming Moral Chaos with the Beatitudes
We live in an age of crisis.
Financial crisis, political crisis, environmental crisis—the list goes on. We're confronted with calamity every time we read the headlines. But behind each of these lurks another kind of crisis, one we find harder to define: a moral crisis—a crisis of goodness. Behind financial crisis is unrestrained greed; behind political crisis is the lust for power.
To properly address the crises that plague our world, we must be formed as people of moral goodness. We must cultivate virtue. But the cultural headwinds are strong: outrage and fragility, persecution and affluence, injustice and impurity.
In this wise and practical book, Pastor Jonathan Dodson takes us back to the Beatitudes, the centerpiece of Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount. Dodson examines each of the Beatitudes in the context of the new morality that buffets our society today, presenting a compelling portrait of the truly good life, both personal and social.
Jesus' vision of the good is stunning: heaven meets earth, mercy triumphs over judgment, peace transcends outrage, grace upends self-righteousness. Here is an account, not of dos and don'ts, but of genuine moral flourishing.
"Pastor Jonathan Dodson poignantly unpacks the perennial truths of the greatest sermon of all time, revealing its ancient wisdom for our morally confused times. Replete with real-world examples, both historical and contemporary, this book offers a compelling countercultural solution to our moral crisis grounded in Jesus' upside-down kingdom."
"Jonathan has written an important book for followers of Jesus in our divided and hostile culture. Brimming with theological insight, genuine hope, and a beautiful way forward for these confusing times, I believe this book will greatly improve our credibility as disciples in the world."
"The Beatitudes can be intimidating to Christians, and more so the more we know what they mean. This book provides fresh and honest insight into the beauty and glory of these words of the kingdom. Whatever crisis you may face now or in the future, I pray this book will reframe for you what it means to be 'blessed.'"
"I can't think of a more encouraging and challenging way to spend our time than to dwell on these famous words of Jesus. Jonathan Dodson will help you understand their revolutionary meaning and also apply Jesus' teaching for our cultural moment."