Strangers and Scapegoats: Extending God's Welcome to Those on the Margins

by Matthew S. Vos

Overview

We live in a world of oppositional relationships and increasing in-group/out-group divisions. Christian sociologist Matthew Vos explains how the problem of the stranger lies at the root of many problems humanity faces, such as racism, sexism, and nationalism. He applies classic sociological theory on "the stranger" to matters of faith and social justice, showing that an identity in Christ frees us to love strangers as neighbors and friends. The book also includes two guest chapters, one on intersex persons and the church and one on stranger-making in the "correctional" system.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781540965233
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/16/2022
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	798,458
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Matthew S. Vos (PhD, University of Tennessee, Knoxville) is professor of sociology and chair of the department at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where he has taught since 2000. He serves as vice president for the Christian Sociological Association and as an associate editor for the Journal of Sociology and Christianity.

Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction: Strangers among Us
Part 1: Strangers and Scapegoats in Sociological Perspective
1. Constructing Identity: The Self, the Social, and the Stranger
2. A Stranger World: In-groups, Out-groups, and the Space Between
3. No More Scapegoats: A Stranger Theology
Part 2: Strangers on the Margins
4. Strangers in the Pew: Girls and Symbolic Exclusion
5. From Stranger to Neighbor: Intersex Persons and the Church
by Val Hiebert, Providence University College
6. Strangers at the Borders: Immigrants and the Heart of the Gospel Message
7. Strangers behind Bars: Examining the System of Mass Incarceration
by Scott Monsma, Northwestern College
8. Competing in Cedar: Nike, Superstar Athletes, and the Unseen Strangers Who Make Our Shoes
Part 3: Inviting Strangers
9. Challenging the Normal: The Strange(r) Reality of the Gospel
10. Pursuing the Common Good: Three Stories of the Neighbor
Index