Could It Be?

About the Book

Could It Be? focuses on twelve biblical passages. Most of them have been denigrated or disregarded, either by those who want nothing to do with organized religion or by others who claim to be genuinely Christian. The author reclaims those discarded gems, proclaims those stories as relevent, countermands erroneous interpretations and counteracts the results of misinformation about their meaning and purpose.

The book is designed to stir the status quo and begins the stirring process by reexamining old passages from a new approad. Its author believes the only road leading to intellectual and spriritual growth runs through the crowded and musty city of "Old Ideas" and winds through the treacherous valley of "New Possibilities." That is the basic outline for every chapter in this book. Each chapter identifies problematical interpretations of some ingrained religious ideas and offers new possibilities that enrich Christian living. Biblical requirements considered impossible to follow are interpreted as very doable. The uppermost question for each reader to keep in mind is, "Could it be this passage is very different than I originally thought?"

Throughout the book, the author repeatedly affirms God is at work in common places, events and things. Biblical stories about personal deliverance and radical change were frequently facilitated by something quite ordinary. What we called a miracle was often an ordinary act for God. If that is how God works, he regularly offers "miracles" to everyone, not just to special people in special situations. These passages about miracles, admonitions and probing questions are prototypes of the human condition, making them extremely relevant because they are "OUR STORY" too.

About the Author

Joseph C. Way was born on a small farm near Georgetown, MS and graduated as valedictorian of his high school class of ten. He received a B.A. in Religion from Millsaps College, plus a B.D. and MDiv in Religion from Vanderbilt Divinity School. During two years of college and three years of seminary school, he served pastorates in the United Methodist Church.

In 1960, he returned to Mississippi as a full time pastor and became involved in the Civil Rights struggle. In late 1962, he and twenty-seven other Methodist pastors signed a declaration of conscience affirming their opposition to segregation. As a result, he was threatened, harassed, denied pastoral appointment by his bishop and forced to leave the state.

He joined the Air Force Chaplaincy and served for almost twenty-three years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. During his Air Force tenure, he developed a new approach to treatment and prevention of abuse and addiction. Upon leaving the Air Force, he worked at a V.A. hospital as a chaplain, counselor, and therapist in the drug/alcohol treatment program. He left the V.A. when the administrative personnel of the Church, the body that years earlier denied him a pastoral appointment, reluctantly asked him to accept a church in dire need of a pastor.

After five years as a pastor, he retired and moved to Georgetown, TX where he lives with Ruth, his wife of forty-eight years. They have a son, daughter and two grandchildren.

He was selected to Who's Who in American Methodism and is a certified counselor for drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Texas. He has authored two other books, A Pain in the Gut and Joseph's Journey.