%1

Speaking Parables, by David Buttrick

Most books on the parables of Jesus seem to slice away at the biblical text. They parse sentences until a parable's plot crumbles into fragments, or they so domesticate the narratives that they become little more than helpful hints for daily living. If a writer isn't careful, even the best biblical exegesis can render a parable lifeless. But David Buttrick's new book clearly belongs to a different breed. Readers may wonder if the "speaking" in Buttrick's title is a verb or an adjective. Take your pick.