I thought it would be interesting to use that line from a book I am reading, as a way of introducing the book.
I'm going to recommend a book titled: "The Irresistible Revolution" and subtitled: "living as an ordinary radical" by Shane Claiborne and published by Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI)
The book chronicles a young Christians search for what real Christianity is supposed to be, and his struggles with what the Church has become since the time of Jesus. In his search, he traveled to India and worked with Mother Teresa, rubbed shoulders with Rich Mullins, and worked extensively with homeless in America. It is a brutal and honest look at Christianity, and his own struggles to define it.
I am about half way through this book, and it has both confirmed many things I have struggled with and questioned myself - and it has also provoked new thought about what we are doing, and what we ought to be doing, and how to go about it.
Just this morning I was reading about how Rich Mullins gave a speech at the Christian College the author was attending, and how he said everyone loves to agree that we need to be born again, because Jesus told Nicodemus this, but how many people believed we needed to give everything we had to the poor, since he told someone that as well. He then said, after an uncomfortable silence, that he guessed that was why God has invented highlighters, "so we can highlight the parts we like, and ignore the rest."
The author explores how we have interpreted the Scriptures in such a way as to require less of us, and allow us to remain in our comfort zones, and not become the radicals that Jesus called his disciples to be. He also talked about totemism - "the human tendency to form our conception of God in our own image." Talked about a professor that said cultures often took the values and traditions we most admire about ourselves and project them onto a totem, and stand in awe of it, essentially worshiping an incarnation of the things we love about ourselves.
He quoted lyrics from a contemporary Christian song which says, "We've got the American Jesus..."
He went on to say, "He eats at McDonald's and votes Republican. God created us in His image, and we decided to return the favor."
I started this link not just to recommend the book, but it is open for any potential discussion on this topic.
Blessings!!!
I'm going to recommend a book titled: "The Irresistible Revolution" and subtitled: "living as an ordinary radical" by Shane Claiborne and published by Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI)
The book chronicles a young Christians search for what real Christianity is supposed to be, and his struggles with what the Church has become since the time of Jesus. In his search, he traveled to India and worked with Mother Teresa, rubbed shoulders with Rich Mullins, and worked extensively with homeless in America. It is a brutal and honest look at Christianity, and his own struggles to define it.
I am about half way through this book, and it has both confirmed many things I have struggled with and questioned myself - and it has also provoked new thought about what we are doing, and what we ought to be doing, and how to go about it.
Just this morning I was reading about how Rich Mullins gave a speech at the Christian College the author was attending, and how he said everyone loves to agree that we need to be born again, because Jesus told Nicodemus this, but how many people believed we needed to give everything we had to the poor, since he told someone that as well. He then said, after an uncomfortable silence, that he guessed that was why God has invented highlighters, "so we can highlight the parts we like, and ignore the rest."
The author explores how we have interpreted the Scriptures in such a way as to require less of us, and allow us to remain in our comfort zones, and not become the radicals that Jesus called his disciples to be. He also talked about totemism - "the human tendency to form our conception of God in our own image." Talked about a professor that said cultures often took the values and traditions we most admire about ourselves and project them onto a totem, and stand in awe of it, essentially worshiping an incarnation of the things we love about ourselves.
He quoted lyrics from a contemporary Christian song which says, "We've got the American Jesus..."
He went on to say, "He eats at McDonald's and votes Republican. God created us in His image, and we decided to return the favor."
I started this link not just to recommend the book, but it is open for any potential discussion on this topic.
Blessings!!!
