Cotton patch gospel is musical play about the life of jesus christ. Rosedale bible colleges production of cotton patch gospel sets the story of jesus in rural georgia. The author and preacher clarence jordan wrote the cotton patch gospel, a reimaged translation of the gospels, putting the setting in the american south. It brings the far awayplaces of nazareth, jerusalem, and bethlehem closer to home atlanta and valdosta, georgia. Gainesville, selma, birmingham, atlanta, washington, d. Jay olson plays the apostle matthew and acts as the narrator for cotton patch gospel during rehearsal monday at the pollard theater center at pollard united methodist church in tyler. Harry chapin was the composer and lyricist for the play. With high energy and loads of laughs, the gospel message is presented in a way that is irresistible. Drawing its inspiration from clarence jordans book the cotton patch version of matthew and john, the evening is as cute as calico and as. The cotton patch version of the new testament rockhay. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these now classic paraphrases of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the apostolic letters into the language and. The cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of the new testament into the language and culture of the midtwentiethcentury south. This volume contains the gospels of matthew and john.
The cotton patch gospel recasts the gospel of matthew into the language and culture of the mid20th century united states south. The cotton patch gospel is an awardwinning musical drama is a legslappin, toetappin, handclappin hoedown of a story that retells the gospels of matthew and john translated into present day southern vernacular. The cotton patch gospel hebrews and the general epistles. Feb 23, 2017 bethany arts series to feature harry chapins offbroadway smash hit cotton patch gospel.
The award winning musical is based on the book the cotton patch gospels of matthew and john by. C05000 to help you find the perfect musical for your next performance, we have provided this overview of the. Matthew and john clarence jordans cotton patch gospel book 1 kindle edition by clarence jordan. Cotton patch gospel cotton patch gospel has been highly acclaimed by critics and public alike. Sep 08, 2014 the cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of the new testament into the language and culture of the midtwentiethcentury south. Cotton patch gospel matthew clarence jordan hopefaithprayer. Millard fuller, founder of habitat for humanity, thought of clarence jordan as a man of relevance. The cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence. It brings the faraway places of nazareth, jerusalem and. The cotton patch version was written by a man named clarence jordan living in the deep south of georgia during world war 2, jordan cofounded a small religious community called koinonia farm koinonia meaning communion or fellowship and was later instrumental in the founding of habitat for h. The georgiabased cotton patch gospel ends its fifth appearance in the state with the close of theatrical outfits production aug. Written by tom key and russell treyz, and with music and lyrics by harry, the musical adapted clarence jordans cotton patch versions of the gospels of matthew and john for the stage. Originally published separately in 4 vols the cotton patch version of matthew and john, 1970. The popular music songwriter harry chapin collaborated with key and treyz on the adaptation, which they completed in june 1981.
The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. A very interesting modern version is a translation by clarence jordan published as the cotton patch version in 19681973. In case you may not know about this work, the text is based on clarence jordans southern fried translation of two of the gospels, the cotton patch gospels of matthew and john. For in shrinking, it will pull the old material and make a tear.
The cotton patch gospel, by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. It ran offbroadway at the lambs theatre for 193 performances beginning in october 21, 1981. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the apostolic letters into the language and culture of the mid20th century south, bringing the new testament to life in the context of where people actually live today. In tennessee, iowa and california, the reaction was the sameelated standing ovations. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these nowclassic translations of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century united states south. Bethany arts series to feature harry chapins offbroadway smash hit cotton patch gospel. If they do, the tires will blow out, and the tubes will be ruined and the tires will be torn up. Written by tom key and russell treyz, and with music and lyrics by harry chapin, cotton patch gospel adapted clarence jordans cotton patch versions of the gospels of matthew and john for the stage.
The cotton patch gospels top clarence jordan brought the scriptures to life with his southern translations of the new testament, his poignant sermons, and his inspired and insightful interpretation of the sermon on the mount and what it means to christians today. This awardwinning musical drama is a legslappin, toetappin, handclappin hoedown of a story the retells the gospels of matthew and john translated into present day southern vernacular. Jonathan aragon, first baptist church, duncanville, texas cotton patch gospel was the best play i have ever directed. Todays reflection on the beatitudes come from the cotton patch version of the new testament. The cotton patch version of hebrews and the general epistles, 1973. These editions come complete with new forewords and a new introduction by habitat for humanity founder millard fuller. Singlecolumn format paraphrased 10 point text softcover the cotton patch gospel. Gainsville, selma, birmingham, atlanta, washington, d. Clarence jordan is the author of sermon on the mount 4. Cotton patch gospel has been highly acclaimed by criticsand public alike. This greatest story ever retold is based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan in which the gospel is presented in a setting of. I nancy find it helpful when reading cotton patch to imagine myself sitting in a late 1950s rural, south georgia church or around a campfire in that region and time as clarence jordan translates from the greek, giving localized handles for the scandalous gospel text. One of the unique and powerful things jordan does in this creative work is that every time the phrase kingdom of god turns up anywhere in the scripture, he translates it as the god movement. The award winning musical is based on the book the cotton patch gospels of.
Shortly afterwards a white gospel song leader came down the road, and when he saw what. The christmas story from the gospels of luke and matthew. Cotton patch gospel puts jesus in civil rights era south. The parable of the good samaritan, cotton patch version luke. Both a biblical scholar and a prophetic man of action, clarence jordan lived out the new testament in the soil of rural georgia. Clarence jordan july 29, 1912 october 29, 1969, a farmer and new testament greek scholar, was the founder of koinonia farm, a small but influential religious community in southwest georgia and the author of the cotton patch paraphrase of the new testament. Start by marking the cotton patch version of matthew and john. As jordan once wrote, while there have been many excellent translations of the. The songs are catchy, funny, and even emotionally moving at times. The play is based on clarence jordans book the cotton patch version of matthew and john. Performed off broadway and produced as a video, cotton patch gospel, retells the gospels of matthew and john accompanied by a bluegrass quartet.
To say that the cotton patch version translates the bible freely would be an. Shortly afterwards a white gospel song leader came down the road, and when he saw what had happened, he too stepped on the gas. Cotton patch gospel from koinonia to habitat for humanity. The cotton patch gospel by koinonia farm founder clarence jordan, recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. Cotton patch gospel matthew clarence jordan by clarence jordan, of koinonia ministries the cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the letters of paul and peter into the language and culture of the mid20th century united states south. Drawing its inspiration from clarence jordans book the cotton patch version of matthew and john, the evening is as cute as calico and as sweet as sorghum.
Gainesville, selma, birmingham, atlanta, washington d. As this gospel begins, they sing that somethins abrewin in gainesville. The cotton patch gospel is a colloquial translation of most of the new. A visionary during the struggle for the civil rights of all gods children, he founded an interracial community called koinonia. The cotton patch version was written by a man named clarence jordan. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the let. Bethlehem becomes gainesville, georgia, nazareth valdosta, and jerusalem atlanta.
Here, jesus elliot miller, on the left cheerfully explains his lack of income to matthew william brimmer, an irs agent who is not amused. The parable of the good samaritan, cotton patch version luke 10. Cotton patch gospel study the cotton patch gospels of. Inspired by jordans versions, tom key and harry chapin wrote a. How did these variations sound in that context to hearers most of whom, likely, had limited. Not only his academic study, but also his smalltown background and experiences in establishing the interracial koinonia farm in the 1940s shaped his ability to hear the parables in the cotton patch. Living in the deep south of georgia during world war 2, jordan cofounded a small religious community called koinonia farm koinonia meaning communion or fellowship and was later.
A filmed stageplay recounting the story of jesus as set in modern day. A musical telling the story of the gospels as though they had taken place in rural georgia. This greatest story ever retold is based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan in which the gospel is presented in a setting of rural georgia with country music songs, the final and perhaps best work of harry chapin. A musical, cotton patch gospel 1982, written by atlantabased actor tom key and stage director russell treyz, was based on jordans version of the gospels of matthew and john. Born out of the civil rights struggle, these now classic translations of much of the new testament bring the faraway places of scripture closer to home. Rosedale bible college presents cotton patch gospel. Cotton patch gospel is a musical by tom key and russell treyz with music and lyrics written by harry chapin and produced by philip m. Inspired by clarence jordans provocative the cotton patch version of matthew and john and produced and cherished worldwide since its conception in 1981, this soulrouser with boundless heart sets the story of jesus in the american south.
Cotton patch gospel premiered at the lambs theater in new york city on october 21, 1981. Well read the cotton patch gospel of matthew and john a few chapters a week, and then well discuss what weve read in a variety of formats responding here to nopressure questions. The cotton patch version is a local dialect version for the southern united states, particularly the area around atlanta, georgia. Based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan, the story retells the life of jesus as if in modern day, rural georgia.
This greatest story ever retold is based on the book the cotton patch version of matthew and john by clarence jordan in which the gospel is presented in a setting of rural georgia with country music songs, the final and perhaps best work of harry. Introduction to the cotton patch evidence in the cotton patch versions of the new testament, jesus was wrapped in a blanket and placed in an apple crate at his birth, lynched in leesburg, georgia and greets his disciples with a howdy when he emerges from his tomb on easter. Bear in mind that this resource is not a biblical translation, but a creative paraphrase. Clarence jordan author of the cotton patch version of. Though the setting and the styling of the language greatly differs from the. The cotton patch gospel recasts the stories of jesus and the apostolic letters into the language and culture of the mid20th century south. After a year of touring cotton patch across the united states in more. Matthew in small cast version, also plays messenger, joe, cattle farmer, herod, politician, jesus, john. In downtown atlanta in 2020, cotton patch gospel promises to raise the roof with joy. Gospel cowriter and theatrical outfits artistic director. The popular music songwriter harry chapin collaborated with. The parable of the good samaritan, cotton patch version.