To promote a stronger general sense of community, THE SONG OF MATTHEW retells the gospel story as a poem arranged in blank verse iambic pentameter, the form used by Milton and Shakespeare. It retains the meaning of conventional versions of the story of Jesus, while offering suitable texts for musical settings of the entire gospel or any passage of particular interest. The text does not include any of the false and sinful condemnations of Jews which have historically contributed to the practice of eliminationist anti-semitism. The crucifixion of Jesus is shown as the assertion of Roman power, with the collusion of certain religious authorities, within the context of a cosmopolitan community. In all other respects it is a text for singing that is "congruent" with holy scripture, as advised in The Book of Common Prayer.