Entertaining Angels

Hebrews is a sermon, and a providentially sermon for our age. This ancient text speaks to a Christ-community descending into an abyss of ennui, losing coordinates of faith and sliding through a back door or nonchalance. With glimpses across the globe and though history, this book attempts to extrapolate meaning for today from a sometimes difficult first century text. ""This book of reflections on the text of Hebrews is told in a lyrical voice by a great storyteller. Michael Godfrey writes as a passionate scholar-priest who values the biblical text, ancient and contemporary tradition, and the current social context. His voice will encourage and cajole the reader to follow Jesus Christ no matter the challenge of the journey."" --Sarah Harris, Lecturer in New Testament, Carey Baptist College ""Idiosyncratic yet compelling, Entertaining Angels is a novel and challenging journey through the Epistle to the Hebrews that reads the epistle as a sermon calling the church to rediscover--without compromise--its spiritual and moral coordinates. Moving back and forth between the context of the ancient author and that of the modern church, this is a timely and prophetic call for modern Christians to rediscover our spiritual coordinates in Jesus Christ."" -- James E. Harding, Lecturer in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, University of Otago ""This gem of a book opens up Hebrews in an exciting and incisive way. As it goes through the book section by section, it brings not only its message--but the way it communicates that message--to life. Read it--you won't regret it."" --Paula Gooder, Theologian in Residence, Bible Society ""Entertaining Angels takes us on a leisurely journey through a 'tricky bit' of the New Testament. Describing the beautiful, challenging Letter to the Hebrews as 'a masterpiece of faith encouragement,' Godfrey demonstrates its relevance to any twenty-first-century Christian who may be losing heart in the absence of 'signs and wonders.' This book--underpinned by scholarship and Godfrey's wide reading in philosophy, the classics, and poetry--encourages and reassures: hold fast, we worship a Lord who is victorious."" --Lisa Emerson, Director of Teaching and Learning, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Associate Professor, School of English and Media Studies, Massey University Michael J. H. Godfrey wrote Entertaining Angels whilst Anglican Dean of Waiapu in New Zealand's North Island. He holds a PhD in New Testament from Australian Catholic University, an MA in Literature from Massey University, and a BD from the (then) Melbourne College of Divinity (now Melbourne University of Divinity). He has worked in rural, remote, suburban, inner-urban, and provincial faith communities in Australia and New Zealand, and is author of Babylon's Cap.