The Good Neighbor

The Good Neighbor is a contemporary adaptation of the parable of the good Samaritan. Its characters include an associate pastor, a CPA, a corporate insurance executive, and a woman Honduran immigrant. These characters are easily identifiable both within the church and outside of it. Readers may resonate with aspects of their faith development and conflicts. The story revolves around how each of these people respond to a badly beaten mugging victim. A key theme in the book is an in-depth exploration of the Christian understanding of neighbor within today’s turbulent times, particularly in America, a reflection upon which is critical for all those unaware of the radically inclusive nature of God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ.

Peter B. Unger is a UCC pastor. He received his doctorate degree in psychology of religion from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He has served churches in upstate New York and eastern Pennsylvania. He was a chaplain at the Syracuse Veterans Hospital. Unger is currently an adjunct college instructor in the areas of philosophy, ethics, and comparative religion. His passion at the heart of his ministry has been to share the saving grace of Jesus Christ through storytelling, singing, and songwriting.