Grace Unbound: The Sacred Activism of an Orthodox Bishop

(Hardback)

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The first step of any great journey can be the riskiest one of all. It is 1992, and the nation is reeling from the AIDS pandemic. When Fr. Demetri, a newly ordained Chicago-born priest, visits Boba man dying from complications due to AIDS, abandoned by his own parish priest out of fearhis life takes an unexpected turn. That single act of compassion sparks a deeper calling to social activism, setting him on a path he never anticipated. Yet nothing prepared the hard-nosed priest for a face-to-face encounter with a convicted murderer years later. Andrew, who is scheduled to be executed in less than three weeks, maintains his innocence regarding the grisly crime. But when the governor of the statethe inmates last hoperefuses to show mercy, the priest must again face the true cost of his calling.

In this gripping true story of faith, justice, and redemption, one priest's mission to save a single life becomes a fight to transform an entire system.

Reviews

Bishop Demetrios's fervent call to rise up and confront the challenge of social unrighteousness is a call to affirm life. -- Sister Helen Prejean * CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking *
A compelling account of faith in action. -- George Stephanopoulos * co-anchor on Good Morning America, host of ABCs This Week *
As a founding member of ACT UP, Ive protested against the AIDS response from mainstream religions, including being arrested inside St. Patricks Cathedral. But, even then, I knew that these institutions werent monolithic. There were internal struggles to do the right thing. Bishop Demetris stirring account of pushing the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago towards a compassionate response during the early years of the crisis proves that AIDS activism came in many forms, full of empathy and inspiration. -- Peter Staley * author of Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism *
Grace Unbound is an excellent, highly personal introduction to social ministry grounded in Christian faith. Bishop Demetrios Kantzavelos of the Greek Orthodox Church recounts howsurprisinglyhe became deeply involved in ministry to persons living with AIDS and in opposition to the death penalty. His compelling story is a call for all followers of the risen Christ to rise up on behalf of life in Gods interdependent creation. It is a particular challenge to churches like his own that have, at times, focused inwardly to the detriment of their social engagement. Social ministry, he argues, is not breaking with the tradition of the church, it is reclaiming it.I recommend Grace Unbound highly to anyone interested in the church and its ministries of justice, service, and peace. -- Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon * former General Secretary, National Council of Churches *

Author Bio

Bishop Demetrios C. Kantzavelos is an ordained bishop, social activist, and leader in the Orthodox Christian Church. He is the former chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago and an auxiliary bishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Patra Mcsharry Sevastiades, who began her professional career editing scientific papers by Soviet emigre scientists, is the author of several children's nonfiction books, including The Vietnam Veterans Memorial and The Hoover Dam. She edited Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation and The Gospel of Love: A Meta-Translation.