House of Disciples: Church, Economics, and Justice in Matthew - Softcover

The household was the basic unit of the early church; it also constituted the basic unit of political economy until the Industrial Revolution. This richly detailed work uses the notion of house as a unifying theme, establishing the identity and concerns of the early Christian churches. What emphases did Matthew's gospel have for that audience - which Crosby establishes was urban-based and prosperous - and what does it mean to First World Christians today? Through an in-depth exploration of Matthew's gospel and its socioeconomic milieu, 'House of Disciples' shows how the world of the early church continues to challenge Christians nineteen hundred years later. It makes a unique contribution to both New Testament scholarship and the practice of a contemporary spirituality.

Michael Crosby belongs to the Midwest Province of the Capuchin Franciscans. He lives in a Capuchin Community in downtown Milwaukee. Father Crosby's latest book is Rethinking Celibacy, Reclaiming the Church. His recent books on the gospels of Matthew and John have received awards from the Catholic Press Association. He has a Masters in Economics as well as a Doctorate and Licentiate in Sacred Theology.