The Gospel to the Choctaw

Claude Gilbert’s The Gospel to the Choctaws is a brief narrative about the intrinsic connection between the life of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Choctaw Nation. A fledgling denomination, whose existence was still uncertain and could easily have disappeared into the wilderness of the eastern frontiers of a young nation, found itself among the Choctaw peoples. This book is also a recounting of the evolution of Cumberland Presbyterian mission work. The idea of entering a foreign field to share the gospel of Jesus Christ has transitioned and transformed to creating community. T.S. Eliot poses the question succinctly, What life have you if you have not life together? Living together in community requires patience and understanding. Human history has shown how varied and complex, frightening and fragile life is. Being a community in praise of God magnifies how awesome and delightful, and more beautiful and strong life is when we are together. The Cumberland Presbyterian narrative has been bestowed the gift of community from the Choctaws during its two hundred plus years filled with adversity, dignity and confidence in the future. This gift of community has helped shape the story of how we became the Cumberland Presbyterian people that we are and why we think and feel the way we do. In essence, the Gospel to the Choctaws is just one narrative. It is the retelling of two peoples whose enthusiasm for Christ become one, combining tragedy with perseverance, offenses with friendship and injustice with love. The Choctaw Cumberland Presbyterians have exemplified Eliot’s words, There is no life that is not in community. And no community not lived in praise of God.