Joshua A Parable For Today Summary

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All about Joshua: A Parable for Today by Joseph F. LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Girzone's beloved and bestselling Joshua series continues with Joshua retelling Jesus' parables with a modern twist. How to crack a minecraft account password. Believing that the zing that Jesus' parables. Our experienced writers will be able to assist you with writing an original custom essay, book review or book report on Joshua: A Parable for Today.

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Preview — Joshua by Joseph F. Girzone

(Joshua)

Rooted in a scrupulously accurate reading of scripture, Joshua is a profoundly moving, deeply inspiring book that no reader will ever forget.
Sometimes it happens. After two thousand years, the human race may be given a second chance.
When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are mystified by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears..more
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Published April 1st 1995 by Scribner (first published 1983)
Joshua A Parable For Today SummaryMore Details..
Joshua
0684813467 (ISBN13: 9780684813462)
English
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What if Jesus came back today? Would we recognize him? Joshua tries to answer that question. A simple carpenter moves to the outskirts of a small town named Auburn, mystifying the locals with his beautiful wood carvings and astute insights into religion. Joshua lives a happy life, making toys for children and fixing furniture for the elderly. People are drawn to him. He is friendly, never too busy to stop and have a conversation. The things he discusses speaks to their hearts. It doesn't take lo..more
I love this book ! I've read it a couple of times because it just made feel good.this one well always be on my book shelf to be read again.
Jul 08, 2008Meg rated it it was amazing
What would you do if Jesus was living up the street from you? A simple man, doing God's will, who is as radical today as he was with the Apostle's? Welcome to the journey of a lifetime, where you are likely to question your understanding of God and Jesus Christ. I first encountered this book in high school, and just re-read it to be in solidarity with my freshmen who have this for summer reading. Some of the lessons I gained were the same, but many were different. I highly recommend that you tak..more
I have just finished this book for the third time and still love this story as I did from the very first perusal. Father Girzone retells the story of Christ through Joshua, a young man who moves into a small town in New York State. Joshua lives a simple life, making friends easily and winning the hearts of the neighborhood children.
Everyone loves Joshua but people are mystified by him, wanting to learn more but reluctant to pry. Joshua, fortunately, makes himself easily accessible and becomes v..more
This book suffers from the same syndrome that I believe ails most Christian fiction: a fantastic concept with weak execution. I would say the biggest problem I had was with the dialogue. Every page turns into a sermon, and subtlety is nowhere to be found. Moreover, the characters' words are all so stiff and formal that interactions cannot seem natural for the reader. There are a lot of positive aspects of the book, though. As stated, I think the concept is outstanding. How would we interact with..more
Inspiring and heartwarming..but a bit dull, and edgier than one would expect for a novel like this.
This is a compelling read, but is not the best written book. Girzone tells a pretty good story, but parts of this read like stuff coming out of an intro fiction writing class. The conversations are stilted and artificial.
Nevertheless, the conceit of Jesus coming back to Earth under the radar is refreshing. There is a sort of Will Rogers wit to Girzone's observations about religious practice, all the more interesting coming from a retired Catholic priest.
His riff on marriage is passionate, but in..more
Oct 21, 2008Cora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I haven't taken time to read Girzone's other Joshua books, but this was an amazing story because the author challenged me to think literally about what the Christ would be like if he walked among un now in the flesh. WWJW bracelets can't come close to the thinking level available through this novel.
Aug 15, 2011Cappy rated it did not like it
Ugh..This book was a chore to read. Lifeless characters, wooden dialogue, a plot equal parts implausible and telegraphed. There is a refreshingly progressive message, but not at all artfully delivered.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. Portraying Jesus in a modern setting is risky business. Sometimes I think there's a little too much of Fr. Girzone in Joshua, but I'm sure that there is also plenty of Jesus in Fr. Girzone. He has a good and thought-provoking message, one that is simply and clearly stated (if often too repetitive) so that many people will be able to understand it and think seriously about it. As an elaborate parable, the story conveys some important messages.
The modern..more
Oct 02, 2011Michael rated it it was amazing
This is an entirely pleasant and peaceful story about Jesus returning to the world, but quietly. Joshua, a simple carpenter, shows up in an upstate New York town and begins to change those around him through his quiet acts of generosity and kindness. He reaches out to all of the various congregations in the town--the Jews, the African-American Pentecostals, the Catholics, the Episcopalians,the Methodists--and teaches them that religion is not important, kindness is. There are some fairly insight..more
Feb 01, 2010K.J. Kron rated it it was ok
Man, I read these books around 1990. Now they seem so dated. At the time I thought they were great - so much so that I read three or four of them. Kind of clever, kind of interesting. How would Jesus be today? At the heart of it, I like the basic message of Joshua - Jesus would be seen as an outcast. But now as I look back at it, Joshua doesn't go nearly far enough - nor could it. The way I view Jesus now as compared to how I did in 1990 is worlds apart. But I'm getting away from the review of t..more
Jun 08, 2018FACT CHECKING GIRL rated it it was amazing
I was raised catholic and I now believe that there has never been a time when Jesus ( the word made flesh) was not on this earth in human form coming to the people that prayed fervently for him to come . He came to me and initiated me ( baptized me ) into surat shabd yoga ( the yoga of joining my soul with the holy spirit so i can also become the word made flesh)
As Girzone says 'The Bible is not Christianity . Christianity is the Apostles (those LIVING HUMANS wh0 are guided by the holy spirit) '..more
FANTASTIC. Seriously, such a profound book. Former priest, Girzone, wrote a parable - a what if Jesus were to return during modern day - and the Catholic church was like the Pharisees/Sadducees of old. Mind-blowingly good. How the tables turn (the Jewish people that Joseph meet are compelled by him and warmly embrace him, as well as many seeking acceptance and more in life) and what Christianity is supposed to be about - not religious dogma, but rather a freedom in God. There were SO many good p..more
I would like to think that I would recognize Jesus if he came into the world today but his simple way of seeing things is so foreign to this world. Wonderful story and it has me looking at things just a bit differently.
Very touching. Well worth your time.
Great book!
Example of a parable story
May 24, 2007Sara rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Joshua A Parable For Today Summary

This book is not literature- I should make that clear off the bat. Because of the total simplicity in how it was written, I found it really tiring to read. I would say the writing made me think of young adult fiction - not complex at all. But to be fair, the book is really not meant to be a study in beautiful phrasing and metaphor. It is a modern day parable bringing Jesus back to mingle amongst everyday people in the little town of Salem. I still found it a little hard to buy. People were these..more
This book had so much potential and failed in most of it. Essentially, Jesus (aka Joshua)arrives in a small American town (Salem - PA, I think, but is from Bethlehem, he tells people), he is a wood carver, he has sheep in his backyard, he makes friends with a woman named Mary..the author wanted Jesus to appear in modern culture but lacked the imagination to make him 'fit'. It fell flat to have such obvious symbolism throughout the whole story - Joshua meets people in town who respond to him, w..more
Apr 01, 2014Jacqui Karre-magro rated it did not like it
I thought as a Catholic that this book is highly heretical. It goes against a lot of the dogma of the Catholic church as well as preaches more with a protestant tone than a Catholic one. The author should not even use the word priest to describe himself any longer. In all honesty I only finished it so I would be able to discuss the book with the Catholic man who loaned it to me. It is a book, which if you read and did not know your own Catholic faith, you would be in trouble. Some of Joshuas cri..more
Jan 03, 2012Vincent Chough rated it really liked it
These kind of book reviews split me in two. Theres the believer point-of-view and then theres literary criticism. Can I separate the two here? If you love the subject matter, in this case it is Jesus, can you really be objective in a review?
I guess I just have to go with how this book moved me. I read it twice which says a lot. Each time I got something out of it. I didnt agree with all of it, but I did agree with most of it.
Girzones style is kind of simplistic - or is it? The conversations amon..more
Aug 14, 2009Marvin rated it did not like it
The story of a man (Joshua) who comes to a contemporary small town in America, lives the simple life of an artist, & has a tremendous impact on the community. He is constantly critical of the Christian clergy for exerting too much authority over their flocks (which seems to me an odd judgment on contemporary mainstream Christianity) and comes into conflict with them. Meanwhile, the people in the Jewish synagogue receive him enthusiastically. Much of what happens has direct biblical parallels..more
I'm sorry if you recommended this book to me, but I couldn't finish it. The point of the book is that Joshua, the modest carpenter, moves into this town. His life is supposed to parallel Christ's life, and the way the town treats him is representation of the way we may treat him. Fine idea, but the author assumed the person reading couldn't draw their own parallels, and when Joshua carries a five foot beam of wood down Main Street to his shop, I just was done reading. Are you serious?! I don't k..more
Sep 06, 2016Abbi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Joshua is by far the best novel I've read so far in 2016! A co-worker recommended it to me after I told him about another Christian novel that I had recently read. If you're someone that constantly seeks to know God better and has committed your life to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ then Joshua will make you think long and hard about how you pursue God, exude His love in the world, as well as the current state of the church. Simply put, I am in awe of this book and am so glad that I read..more
Aug 22, 2011Susan rated it did not like it
'Trite, preachy, condescending, chauvinistic, theologically flawed, overly simplistic, and a chore to read.' These are but a few of the highly accurate descriptors used by fellow reviewers. If I hadn't read this book --and the bad reviews-- I might never have thought to create a bookshelf called 'I-Wish-I-Hadn't-Read-That'.
I have suffered through two-thirds of this book and now I'm calling it quits.
Maybe it's just dated, maybe it's just me, but I found this book, although it does convey a message that needs to be heard, somewhat stilted, contrived, and overly simplistic. The author lacks imagination, painting his personal point of view too obviously, and the writing screams young adult, even for a high school reading list. Although I like and agree with the message, I didn't need it pounded into my brain over and over. A fast read, but pretty boring.
Feb 16, 2008Lindsey De Pew rated it really liked it
This was a graduation present from my church, given out each hear to high school graduates. It is a moving book about what Christ might be like if he were to show up today. It reminds us of the most important part of our religion that we usually forget: love. Joshua also reminds us of the downfalls of institutionalized religion and what both christianity and religion in general should be. A good read for a person exploring their faith.
May 13, 2008Mike Da Silva rated it it was amazing
Everyone has at least one friend who finds the Bible too difficult to understand, too much to finish, the excuses go on and on. This is the book for them. It's about Jesus coming back today, and how the world perceives this simple carpenter. It really shows how the story of Jesus can easily translate to today's age.
This is inspiring. This is a story about a carpenter who transforms ordinary lives with words of peace and loving actions. Joshua portrayed how Jesus came into our midst in today's time, and how we treated him.
Joseph Girzone has done an excellent job of telling the story about a man trying to live in our modern society, and yet be true to his beliefs about God and Jesus' teachings.
Jan 22, 2008Sandra rated it it was amazing
I first saw the movie called Joshua and then found a copy of this to read. Wonderful series of books, I have not read the whole set. Joshua-(Jesus) in modern day stories told by a priest who likes to fish.
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FROM PUBLISHER:
JOSEPH F. GIRZONE retired from the active priesthood in 1981 due to health reasons, and embarked on a second career as a writer and speaker.
In 1995 he established the Joshua Foundation, an organization dedicated to making Jesus better known throughout the world.
His bestselling books include Joshua, A Portrait of Jesus, and Never Alone. He lives in Altamont, New York.
Joshua(9 books)
“God has graced you with many gifts, and you are very dear to Him, because you allow Him to use you as a partner in the work He has planned for your life.” — 1 likes
Joshua A Parable For Today SummaryMore quotes…
Joshua
A Parable for Today
By Joseph F. Girzone
- How does Joshua prove the difficulty in living a true Christian life in the present?
At first, I would like to point out that it is quite obvious that Joshua is in fact the 20th century version of Jesus Christ. It is most obvious from early on, when he first introduces himself as a carpenter. Next, he heals that little girl, and then walks through town with that large log on his shoulder, which I guess could be symbolic of the cross Jesus carried. Then there was the man who came to help Joshua, but could not for it was too heavy. That seems awfully symbolic of Simon trying to help Jesus carry the cross.
Then, later in the novel, the miracles began to pile up. Joshua healed a blind girl and enabled her to see, as Jesus did. Joshua also revived the dead boy, Michael, after he had taken a deadly fall down a flight of stairs on the ship Joshua was on. Not only that, but Joshua also de-paralyzed the Cardinal after he had a stroke during Joshua's 'trial' in Vatican City in Rome, Italy. I must say, the symbolisms were clear and strong.
Getting down to business, it was quite clear that the simplicity of Joshua's lifestyle, and not the complexity of others', was the factor that confused many in the small town of Auburn. We as people of modern times consider simplicity to be much better than bigger, and more complex, problems, lifestyles, etc., but in this case, it ends up hurting Joshua. Because Joshua does not have a nice fancy house, expensive cars and furniture, a television, or electricity for that matter..because Joshua does not posses all of these modern luxuries, he is automatically crowned a 'weirdo' and 'strange' by many--but not all (modern day apostles?). The clergyman of the Catholic Church and its divisions (i.e. the Protestant church) become automatically suspicious of the way Joshua thinks. It seems awfully symbolic of the Romans suspicions of Jesus, as the Son of God.
Just like how Jesus got into trouble for speaking his mind, Joshua also gets in trouble in the same, exact way. People ask for his advice about things, and he gives his answer, passionately. He tells them that he thinks the church as an organization and an institution is in fact scaring its followers, instead of nurturing them. In the end, Joshua is 'tried' for his outrageous beliefs by Cardinal Riccardo and the Pope at the Vatican in Rome. Although the Cardinal defends him, all of the other cardinals, as well as the Pope, do not. This seems to be a reoccurring theme throughout the novel--few in a large group of disbelievers and skeptics change sides.
All of the facts I have presented above bring me down to my last statement: It is virtually impossible to live following Jesus' words without running into constant and powerful opposition. Joshua lives Jesus' words to the fullest extent and still is not considered a normal man. The same thing happens to Jesus. Hopefully through my analysis of the novel and its extremely familiar plot, you can see what I saw in Joshua and in the novel as a whole.
In conclusion, I think Girzone is trying to teach us that extremely religious people, such as Joshua (and Jesus, too), are not exactly strangely different, but are merely misunderstood in their own time.
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