This Thing Called Christianity

This Thing Called Christianity PDF

Author: Jefferson Bethke

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: 2020-06-02

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 078523280X

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Join New York Times bestselling author Jefferson Bethke as he tears back the worn canvas of religion, lets an unsalvageable, phony frame of distractions fall away, and unfolds for the reader the breathtaking meaning and worth of the Christian faith. We're all searching for our greater purpose in life, but society pushes cheap, false narratives instead: your worth is measured by your success, winning brings happiness, put yourself first. But Bethke tells us that when we buy into those empty promises, we don't realize that the picture of life we've been sold is incomplete. We were made for so much more. A continuation of his bestseller It's Not What You Think, Bethke invites us to find our true purpose by seeing Jesus in a new light, taking us on a journey from the creation of the universe in Genesis to the great feast of celebration in Revelation. Along the way, Bethke gives us the tools we need to: Reflect on our role in God's story Embrace faith as a blend of mystery, truth, grace, and beauty Discover the blessings of rest, worship, and fellowship Reexamining Christianity from the very beginning as revealed in the Bible, Bethke discovers a story far more beautiful, compelling, and fulfilling than we could ever imagine.

The Case Against Christianity

The Case Against Christianity PDF

Author: Michael Martin

Publisher: Temple University Press

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 9781566390811

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In this systematic philosophical critique of the major tenets of Christianity, Michael Martin examines the semantic and epistemological bases of religious claims and beliefs. Beginning with a comparison and evaluation of the Apostles' Creed, the Niceno-Chalcedonian Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, Martin discusses the principal theological, historical, and eschatological assumptions of Christianity. These include the historicity of Jesus, the Incarnation, the Second Coming, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, Salvation through faith in Jesus, and Jesus as a model of ethical behavior. Until now, an adequately convincing criticism of Christianity did not exist. Martin's use of historical evidence, textual analysis, and interpretations by philosophers and theologians provides the strongest case made to date against the rational justification of Christian doctrines.

Integral Christianity

Integral Christianity PDF

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher:

Published: 2012-08-01

Total Pages: 408

ISBN-13: 9781557789020

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This book presents a model of Christianity that incorporates the insights of a Jesus-centered theology of biblical interpretation and integral philosophy.

What is this thing called Philosophy of Religion?

What is this thing called Philosophy of Religion? PDF

Author: Elizabeth Burns

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-10-02

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 1317595467

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What is this thing called Philosophy of Religion? grapples with the core topics studied on philosophy of religion undergraduate courses including: the meaning of religious language, including 20th century developments the nature of the Divine, including divine power, wisdom and action arguments for the existence of the Divine challenges to belief in the Divine, including the problems of evil, divine hiddenness and religious diversity believing without arguments arguments for life after death, including reincarnation. In addition to the in-depth coverage of the key themes within the subject area Elizabeth Burns explores the topics from the perspectives of the five main world religions, introducing students to the work of scholars from a variety of religious traditions and interpretations of belief. What is this thing called Philosophy of Religion? is the ideal introduction for those approaching the philosophy of religion for the first time, containing many helpful student-friendly features, such as a glossary of important terms, study questions and further reading.

Paul and Jesus

Paul and Jesus PDF

Author: James D. Tabor

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2013-11-26

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1439123322

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Draws on St. Paul's letters and other early sources to reveal the apostles' sharply competing ideas about the significance of Jesus and his teachings while demonstrating how St. Paul independently shaped Christianity as it is known today.

It's Not What You Think

It's Not What You Think PDF

Author: Jefferson Bethke

Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM

Published: 2015-10-13

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1400205425

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Join Jefferson Bethke, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus > Religion, as he challenges the accepted view of contemporary Christianity with the world-changing message that Jesus actually brought. Jesus was most upset at people for seeing but not seeing. For succumbing to the danger and idolatry of forcing God into preconceived human ideals. But what if there were a better way? What if Jesus came not to help people escape the world but instead to restore it? It's Not What You Think tells the familiar stories of the scripture in a radically new light, presenting God’s unchanging truths from the Old and New Testaments as the challenging story that it is: a mysterious, compelling narrative with God at the center. Along the way, Bethke reminds us of the life-changing message of Jesus that turned the world upside-down--a world that God is putting back together--teaching us how to: Uncover our true purpose and satisfy our longing for significance Find the kingdom of God wherever we are Embrace the gifts of fellowship and community Praise for It's Not What You Think: "With a deep discernment of the times we're living in, Jefferson spotlights many misinterpreted truths in the Bible and puts a voice to the true heart of God's Word. His desire to bring us into a more intimate encounter with God jumps off of each page. Christians need this book--now more than ever!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author of Forgiving What You Can't Forget and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries "It's easy to get stuck in life. To let our faith grow stagnant, our walk grow weary, and our hope grow silent. Jefferson isn't okay with that and has created a book that turns what we think we know upside down. Creative, honest, refreshing. I'm a huge fan of the heart that explodes from this book." --Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work & Never Get Stuck

Jesus > Religion

Jesus > Religion PDF

Author: Jefferson Bethke

Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM

Published: 2013-10-14

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1400205409

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Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

Hipster Christianity

Hipster Christianity PDF

Author: Brett McCracken

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2010-08-01

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 9781441211934

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Insider twentysomething Christian journalist Brett McCracken has grown up in the evangelical Christian subculture and observed the recent shift away from the "stained glass and steeples" old guard of traditional Christianity to a more unorthodox, stylized 21st-century church. This change raises a big issue for the church in our postmodern world: the question of cool. The question is whether or not Christianity can be, should be, or is, in fact, cool. This probing book is about an emerging category of Christians McCracken calls "Christian hipsters"--the unlikely fusion of the American obsessions with worldly "cool" and otherworldly religion--an analysis of what they're about, why they exist, and what it all means for Christianity and the church's relevancy and hipness in today's youth-oriented culture.

The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity

The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity PDF

Author: Alex McFarland

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Published: 2013-08-01

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 162405188X

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University apologist, director, and popular speaker Alex McFarland has spent the last two decades answering questions about Christian worldview and the Bible from children, teens, and parents. In The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity, he summarizes questions today’s children and teens are asking about God, the Bible, and the problem of evil. Alex’s experiences have taught him that how adults answer questions about God is as important as, if not more important than, what kids ask. He provides parents with teaching strategies that will help them reach their children intellectually and spiritually. Today’s kids and teens are looking for authenticity, integrity, and straightforward truth. Alex comes alongside parents and gives them tools to effectively answer not only their children’s toughest academic questions but also the questions that plague their hearts.