American evangelicalism is at a crisis point. The naked grasping at political power at the expense of moral credibility has revealed a movement in disarray. Evangelicals are now faced with a will they double-down and continue along this perilous path, or will they stop, reflect, and change course? And while support of Donald Trump has produced the tipping point of the evangelical crisis, it is not by any means its only problem. Evangelicals claim the Bible as the supreme authority in matters of faith. But in reality, it is particular readings of the Bible that govern evangelical faith. Some evangelical readings of the Bible can be highly selective. They distort the Bible’s teaching in crucial ways and often lead evangelicals to misguided attempts to relate to the world around them. Many Christians who once self-professed as “evangelicals” can no longer use the term of themselves because of what it has come to represent–power-mongering, divisiveness, judgementalism, hypocrisy, pride, greed. Some leave not just evangelicalism but Christianity for good. Jesus v. Evangelicals is an insider’s critique of the evangelical movement according to its own rules. Since evangelicals regard themselves governed by the Bible, biblical scholar Constantine Campbell engages the Bible to critique evangelicals and to call out the problems within the contemporary evangelical movement. By revealing evangelical distortions of the Bible, this book seeks to restore the dignity of the Christian faith and to renew public interest in Jesus, while calling evangelicals back to his teaching. Constantine Campbell appeals to evangelicals to break free from the grid that has distorted their understanding of the Bible and to restore public respect for Christianity in spite of its misrepresentations by the evangelical church.
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A very interesting book to say the least. While “evangelicals” have been proponents of the Biblical & Christian Worldview, but have they foregone the way of truth for power in the political realm?? I fully and wholeheartedly believe that the whole of the Christian community of believers have been tasked with getting involved with the politics of their states and countries. The reason being is that we are to be morally guided and led. However, there is this problem within the political realm of picking the candidate that seems to be least evil, or so we would believe. Don’t get me wrong, I too have been caught up in this desire for the best candidate, despite each candidate’s failings…and we all have failings as believers! This book takes to task all evangelicals their failings to fulfill the need of the Biblical/Christian World view mindedness and the necessity in our lives to follow the commissions that we have been tasked with by Christ, Himself! A great book to read which will truly make you think and reassess your leanings.
Godspeed & Good Reads!
Doc Murf
Doc Murf's Corner Bookshelf 