Sabbath Gospel: A New Narrative of Time, Rest, and the Work of the Church

Seeing Sabbath as the Gospel’s Call to Resist, Reimagine, and Reclaim

The world’s relentless push for ＂more and better＂ reflects a value system that is individualistic and economically exploitative, leaving Christians and the church itself exhausted. Amid this weariness, Sabbath emerges as not merely a day of rest, but a powerful, countercultural invitation to push back.

In Sabbath Gospel, G. P. Wagenfuhr and Amy J. Erickson invite us to consider Sabbath as much more than a cessation from work. Sabbath is a grand exodus from tiring economic regimes and the empty promise of self-actualization. By expanding our vision of Sabbath beyond the Creation story, we vacate the idol of the world and take our place in the household of God, the church, where Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. In this robust biblical theology, scholars, theologians, and pastors find a fresh approach to Sabbath that moves us beyond empty practices and renews our language about the gospel.

What you’ll find in Sabbath Gospel:

• A transformative view of Sabbath as communal resistance against the exploitative value systems of the world
• Interdisciplinary insights into the Biblical theology of Sabbath
• A call to live out Sabbath anew in God’s reconciled community

Sabbath Gospel challenges readers to rethink Sabbath, moving beyond individualistic notions of rest. Sabbath is not just about stepping back from work for personal rejuvenation but about stepping into God’s household-a reconciled community where rest is shared, burdens are lifted, and the gospel is renewed in our lives. Reimagine your view of Sabbath with Sabbath Gospel.

G. P. Wagenfuhr (PhD, University of Bristol) teaches at the Flourish Institute of Theology. He is author of Plundering Eden and Plundering Egypt. During his work as a denominational theologian, he has written and edited numerous books engaging theology and cultural themes like gender, sexuality, egalitarianism, ecclesiology, politics, and ethics of life. He has been a pastor and currently also runs Axial Bikes manufacturing handmade custom bicycles. He lives with his wife Ainhoa and their two daughters in Cañon City, Colorado.

Amy J. Erickson (PhD, University of Aberdeen) teaches theology and ethics at St. Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra, Australia. She is the author of Ephraim Radner, Hosean Wilderness, and the Church in the Post-Christendom West. She has previously lived and worked in central Texas, Washington State, Colorado, and Scotland. She currently belongs to her church family at St. John’s Reid and dreams of cultivating an intentional community in the heart of Australia’s capital.