Clarence Jordan: Essential Writings

Modern Spiritual Masters

by Joyce Hollyday (Introduction)

A true American prophet Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) was reared in the heart of the Southern Baptist Church. He passed up the options of scholarship or traditional ministry to found an interracial Christian community in Americus, Georgia at a time when preaching racial justice and equality could spark violence. His cooperative farm was repeatedly attacked by the KKK and subject to a total economic boycott. Through his sermons and his so-called Cotton Patch version of the Gospels--a "dynamic" translation of his own setting Jesus' life in a Southern context Jordan laid out a revolutionary vision of Christian community

Genres: Theology, Spirituality

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what I could say that would do this book justice. It begins with translations from Jordan's famous (infamous?) "Cotton Patch Version" of the New Testament. The second half of the book is a collection of his writings and sermons. This is where the book shines! Jordan's clear presentation of Biblical concepts is so compelling and startling. I found myself wondering where he has been while I've been following Jesus all these years and why it has taken me so long to discover him. Also very interesting was the biographical sketch contained in the preface/introduction to the book. It has prompted me to look for a biography of Jordan.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was my Advent reading--excerpts from the Cotton Patch New Testament, selections from Jordan's essay on The Sermon on the Mount, and a few excerpts from his sermons. The man had profound insight, deep compassion and a sharp sense of humor. My highest recommendation is to get everything he wrote and read it all carefully.

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from the South, I loved reading his translations of the Bible. Here's a snip from John 7: "Following this, Jesus went on a tour of Alabama. He had no desire to tour Georgia, because the good white folks there were trying to kill him."
Sounds about right.