The Cotton Patch Version of Luke and Acts: Jesus' Doings and the Happenings

by Clarence Jordan

Binding is in tact. Has stamp to inside cover and name on title page but no other markings to inside pages.

Genres: Religion, Christian

Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspired , engaging, and cutting retelling of Luke and Acts into 1960s southern culture and life.

And when I say, 'inspired', I'm thinking of how the Spirit works in my own life. When I read God's word, He makes it alive by showing how it applies to certain situations going on in my life and how to interpret the cultural trends around me. He makes the right path (the narrow path) clear.

And in down to earth language, this is what I feel Clarence Jordan is doing through this rendition of Luke and Acts. He shines a light on the widespread deception of devaluing the lives of those with different colored skin and other issues of his time by linking them with parallel issues going on in culture and the church during Jesus' and the apostles' lives.

Though some references to places or people were not familiar, I'd still highly recommend this book for present day readers because many of the author's cultural parallels are still relevant and cutting. And even though he changed significant details from the biblical storyline, he still was able to present an impressively unified and convincing (and convicting) re-telling. And knowing how boldly Clarence Jordan lived out his convictions made me linger on each passage longer, wondering what each statement cost him. Because, I believe he wrote with the same integrity and conviction he lived out.

I really enjoyed reading these books alongside the actual Bible to be able to notice all that the author was doing in his imaginative retelling of such familiar stories.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The particularity of the gospel story matters. Jesus was a first century Jew, as were most of the writers of the New Testament. Take this away and the NT collapses in on itself. However, Jordan's brilliant "transposition" of Luke + Acts to the American South (Jerusalem becomes Atlanta. The Jews are the whites and the Gentiles become the blacks and Yankees, etc.) is helpful. Having recently read John Perkins memoir, I get the sense that Jordan's work was exactly what southern white Christians needed to hear in the 1960's + 70's. Jordan's transposition doesn't always work, and sometimes he admits this and awkwardly goes back to the 1st century context. However, this book will cause you to hear Jesus's message and the story of the early church in a new key. Jordan is a little known hero of the faith and his work deserves a wider reading.

[Welles Bristol · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a committed Christian activist you are neglecting your development by not reading Cotton Patch.

[Ariadne Cares · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much!! The Apostle Paul goes to Chattanooga and finds Jesus, visits Cincinnati and Atlanta and DC, gets beat up and shipwrecked and imprisoned, and tells the Good News to ruling officials. Makes it feel like Luke/Acts just happened a few years ago, not 2,000. Great paraphrase version!

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is an interesting concept to put the Gospel into present day America down south..It is not a piece of literary excellence, and it did not shed new light of understanding of Scripture. Not sure really what to make of it. But thank you to the friend that wanted me to read it.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great rendering by Clarence Jordan. Like the others I've reviewed, it's literally the books of Luke and Acts from the New Testament, but set in a more modern time in the US South. A worthwhile read to put some of the events of the New Testament into a new and more familiar light.

[Marsha Richeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

another Hero! It is sad to me that he probably will never have his rightful place in the history of the civil rights movement.