Howard Thurman and the Parables: What Do Parables Want? (PART IV, Chapters 7, 8, & 9)

Part IV: The Compassionate Samaritan: An Apostle of Sensitiveness

Chapter 7: Trauma on the Road to Jericho 

Reading the Parable: General Context in Luke 

The Good Samaritan Parable: The Trauma and Lack of Response (10:30–32) 

Reading the Parable 

Insights from Howard Thurman’s Interpretations 

• Identifying with the Wounded Man 
• The Love Commands 
• Modernizing, Humanizing, and Applying the Parable 

Chapter 8: Compassion, Mercy, and Hospitality: The Samaritan attending to the wounded man (Luke 10:33–34a) 

Reading the Parable 

Insights from Howard Thurman’s Interpretations 

• The Love-Ethic of Jesus 
• Compassion: Its Source and Implications for Human Society
• Compassion: Relating One-on-One as Children of God 

Chapter 9: Compassion, Mercy, and Extended Hospitality: The Samaritan bringing the Wounded Man to the Inn (Luke 10:34b–37) 

Reading the Parable 

Insights from Howard Thurman’s Interpretations 

• Hospitality 
• The Ultimate Source of Empathy is God 
• Creating Community One-on-One 
• Becoming “Apostles of Sensitiveness” (or “Eccentric Apostles”)
• Establishing Community through Practice 
• Affirmation Mysticism and Social Change 
• Love, Empathy, and Community 

Conclusion: The Good Samaritan as Parable 

With Whom do We Identify?