Description: Jesus used parables to teach his disciples certain truths
about the gospel. The parables employed word pictures, such as of
planting seeds and other agricultural images, that were familiar to his
listeners. What kind of imagery could be used today to talk about the
gospel? Baseball, ""America's pastime,"" might be one source of such
familiar images. In this book Currie has attempted to find theological
themes and to describe the gospel in the sport of baseball.
Endorsements: ""From Jim Currie's superbly assembled community of
historical baseball players, baseball aficionados, and biblical parables
and characters, God's grace, light, healing, and new life emerge, even
to those who may think they have little in common with either baseball
or the Bible. Readers will smile, belly laugh, remember struggles and
losses, and nod affirmatively, deeply grateful for many new insights
received."" -Ted Foote ""Jesus' kingdom parables are few and short, and
I long for more. That desire is satisfied in these pages: provocative,
enticing, enriching, inviting. Those who love God, baseball, either, or
both will find interwoven in this book refreshing gifts from God's
kingdom in Currie's love for the game's people and story and his
grounding in grace and holy texts. The line between them is shown
gloriously blurry, a joyous new parable . . . and home run."" -Howard
Reed ""Baseball fan and theologian, Jim Currie, gives us a wonderful
look at ways the national pastime embodies themes that form the fabric
of Christian faith. Each chapter is filled with delightful baseball lore
that brings memories flooding back to baseball fans. But Currie goes on
to relate these stories, events, and sentiments to what matters most in
life: what Jesus said and did when he talked about the kingdom of God.
No fan with faith should miss this book!"" -Donald K. McKim ""James
Currie's The Kingdom of God Is Like . . . Baseball is theologically
intriguing and fascinatingly written for the Community of Saints. As one
who has 'used' baseball as a place to go and mourn, to be 'lost' and,
therefore, to be comforted until, on each occasion, I made my way back
'Home, ' I relished each comparison. Centered on the parables of Jesus,
each chapter draws the reader in to react, to make choices, to find the
'Holy' in the 'ordinary' Game of Life. We who call ourselves followers
of Jesus, get 'Home' when we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear
the word of God."" -Ann Weems About the Contributor(s): James S. Currie
has been a Presbyterian minister since 1979 and currently serves as
pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, Texas. He is the author
of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary: Completing a Century of
Service (2002) and Planting Trees: A History of the Presbyterian Pan
American School (forthcoming).
