Hospital Chaplain John Goodjohn Publishes ‘The Gospel of Scripture,’ a Self-Study Approach to Biblical Text

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John Goodjohn, a hospital chaplain with a background in pastoral ministry and seminary instruction, has published "The Gospel of Scripture," a book that sets out to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ using the Bible’s own text as the primary interpretive tool, according to the announcement. The book is subtitled "The Gospel of Jesus Christ as Defined and Explained in the Bible, by the Bible Itself," and is published through Page Publishing.

The book’s premise, as described in the announcement, is that readers can study Scripture directly, without relying on denominational commentary or secondary interpretive frameworks, to understand what it says on its own terms. Goodjohn frames this as an alternative to conventional devotional literature and study guides.

Goodjohn’s path to the project is unusual for religious publishing. According to the announcement, his vocations span university administration, organic farming, competitive figure skating, long-distance sailing, roller-disco management in the Hamptons, and business ownership, in addition to his pastoral and academic work. He has described himself as having once been an outsider to organized Christianity before dedicating himself to study of the Bible’s teachings apart from what he characterizes as the "thousands of differing, often contradictory interpretations" found across modern religious practice.

"My journey from skepticism about organized Christianity to a life grounded solely in biblical teaching has convinced me that readers hunger for authenticity," Goodjohn said in the announcement. "This book exists to help people encounter the Gospel through Scripture’s own voice, free from the complications of external influence."

The idea of returning to Scripture’s own language as a corrective to accumulated tradition and interpretation has precedent in Christian publishing — Brennan Manning’s "The Ragamuffin Gospel," first published in 1990, built a similar case around God’s love and grace stripped of religious performance, and remains widely read decades later. Goodjohn’s book positions itself in that same lineage of works arguing that direct engagement with the text, rather than inherited interpretation, is where readers will find clarity.

"The Gospel of Scripture" is available through Page Publishing’s website, as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and the Apple iTunes Store.

Studio CarryOnHarry will leave it to readers to judge whether a text can ever be studied entirely free of interpretation, but the author’s own winding path to this project is a story in itself.

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