March 20, 2008

A Christianity Worth Believing: Hope-filled, Open-armed, Alive-and-well Faith for the Left Out, Left Behind, and Let Down in us All

51wu6gyd5l_aa240_1 I got a copy of Doug's new book in the mail yesterday: A Christianity Worth Believing: Hope-filled, Open-armed, Alive-and-well Faith for the Left Out, Left Behind, and Let Down in us All

Started reading it while watching the news after dinner and just kept going all the way through American Idol.

It really is great...

I'll write more on the book in a bit- when I've read more and we're not in the middle of Holy Week... But, I think it will do what Doug does best- answer some questions, pose even more, but most of all, send your thinking to places you never would have gotten to otherwise. You need to check this out, whether you are a fan, a critic, or just someone who needs a picture of  A Christianity Worth Believing: Hope-filled, Open-armed, Alive-and-well Faith for the Left Out, Left Behind, and Let Down in us All.

I think everyone who grew up in church should read the account of Doug's conversion. It's pretty rare to read the story of someone coming to Christ who has grown, matured, gotten theological education but hasn't forgotten what it was like to enter the entirely foreign world of faith as an unchurched person. Too often, all that growth and maturity and theological education has the practical effect of whitewashing the memories of first encountering Christ and overlaying all sorts of theological concepts and thoughts that weren't there... Doug recalls the amazing parts and the painful parts of becoming a Christian, and anyone who wants to help other people do the same would do well to read his story...

And, at the very least, it's entirely refreshing to read a book by someone who doesn't think the world in general and Christianity in particular is going to hell in a handbasket.

You can actually read the first chapter here

Mar 20, 2008 6:35:45 AM | Books

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