mgpcpastor's blog

What does Crucifying Morality (R.W. Glenn, Shepherd Press, 2013) promise?
In ten chapters the clauses of the Beatitudes are unfolded by a succinct study accompanied by questions which seek to deepen both the reader’s understanding and practical application of these passages of Scripture. The author presents the Beatitudes not as a ‘how to’ manual for the Christian life, but as a ‘litmus test’ to demonstrate how much (or how little) the reader’s faith is in the Gospel of grace.
What did I like?
Glenn’s essays seek to firmly ground each of the Beatitudes as being embodied in the person and work of The Lord Jesus Christ. He also keeps the precedence of the suffering conditions described as instrumental in experiencing the promised blessings. By doing so the reader is reminded that contemporary readers who desire the blessings must be prepared for the conditions which precede and accompany them. The studies clearly identify how Jesus expressed each of these sufferings and has realised the blessings which he describes.
In this manner the treatment looks first to spiritual growth and then, secondly to ethical expression. This avoids the dangers of overspiritualising or reducing the teaching of the passage to bare ethics.
The four questions appended to each chapter fall under the headings: For your head; For your heart; For your church; and For Your City. This cultivates a balanced growth in knowledge and practical application.
What I’m not sure about.
Not a lot. As a shorter book, Crucifying Morality doesn’t present itself as the last word on the Beatitudes, nor does it provide bibliographical material to indicate itself on the cutting edge of studies of Matthew’s gospel. It is a straightforward practical and devotional work on a section of Scripture which needs to be revisited in study often.

Crucifying Morality would be valuable for study or reading groups; individual devotions; and for study leaders or preachers looking for a Christ-centered approach to studying the Beatitudes which provokes a reaction of depending on God’s grace and hungering to live by kingdom ethics.

The mobi file review copy of Crucifying Morality was provided by Cross Focused Reviews as part of a Crucifying Morality blog review tour on behalf of Shepherd Press.
Provision of the review copy did not require the publication of a positive review, though publishing it a week or so ago would have been more desirable.