Becoming Children of God

Book excerpt: 'Becoming Children of God' offers a fresh and original commentary on the Gospel of John as a narrative inviting readers -- both in the evangelist's time and our own -- to a radical commitment to follow Jesus from within a spirit-filled community. This reading is grounded in a "poetics of biblical narrative" that balances attention to historical, ideological, and aesthetic aspects of John's Gospel while highlighting its relevance for today. By committing himself to a close analysis of the text as "symbolic action" Howard-Brook makes it clear how John's Gospel fairly bristles with references to societal conditions that demand a direct response. Throughout the commentary, his close attention to literary structure as well as social background yields new insights into the often-obscure message of the Fourth Gospel.