A Passion for the Living Christ

About the Book

A Passion for the Living Christ: The Gospel of John, Play Scripted with Exposition, lays out the entire gospel verbatim (NRSV), with its scenes intertwined with exposition. This unique approach to a study of the Eagle’s Gospel reaches out both to those who are well versed in this beloved book of the Bible, and to others who feel led to deepen their understanding of the Fourth Gospel. Both groups are encouraged to be in prayer agreement with the author of this book that we all may deepen our passion for the living Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

During the past half century while William Yanney has maintained a memorization of the Gospel of John (RSV), he has dramatized Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to over 300 audiences. Motivated by his impression that both works feature a logical sequence of scenes under the control of a Narrator, he has play scripted the gospel so that a reader may visualize the episodes as a drama, indeed as the greatest nonfiction play ever written. Though not intended for theatrical production, individual scenes lend themselves to group Bible study, segments of corporate worship, and sermons.

Beyond the vividness of the gospel’s scenes with the Narrator’s guidance, exposition of the episodes is vital to an understanding of the nuances of the Johannine writer and his selection of the scenes. Not intended as a commentary, the exposition focuses on the uniqueness of John as compared to the vocabulary and historical content of the Synoptics. The I AM sayings and signs are emphasized. In it all and through it all the purpose of the Fourth Gospel is emphasized, “These are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (20:31)

About the Author

William Strome Yanney (the family name is Swiss German, Jenni) is a retired Presbyterian minister with a half-century of Christian ministry intertwined with ministry to civilian congregations and 35 years of military service on active duty and in the National Guard as an Army Chaplain. He has degrees from the College of Wooster, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Illinois in the Classics.