Two of the primary examples are that god is in control of everything and that all things happen for a reason. The resounding theme of the book is everything is about jesus, its a message of the love of god through his son. Yes, 26 million filled with jeffersons own story, the book is raw and authentic. Aug 01, 20 he later studied jesus of nazareth in college, which led aslan to a doctorate in the sociology of religion. Now aslans controversial new book about jesus is about to make him a bestselling author. This book explores six of the lifetimes in which the incarnations of jesus and buddha lived together, beginning. This is an amazing book that opened up my eyes to the way we live and how its religion and not jesus. In the 20th century, religious existentialists proposed that revelation held no. Spiritual but not religious love jesus but hate religion joe paprocki understanding kids more and more today, we hear people saying that they are spiritual but not religious, meaning that they believe in god but choose not to encounter him within the context of the institutional church. What you read in this book now will save you a lot of if only i knew then what i know now thoughts. The books title and content are inspired by his spokenword video, why i hate religion, but love jesus, which has been viewed 26 million times. Sep 06, 20 what you read in this book now will save you a lot of if only i knew then what i know now thoughts.
This fourth book is a companion to the original trilogy, yet written to stand alone, an invitation for new readers into this fascinating work. The claim that christianity is not a religion would appear to be as empty as the roman catholic churchs claim that the saints it prays to are not deities, even while they are the target of believers prayers and their cult images receive offerings and are carried around in public processions. Jesus, son of mary, or jesus, is the penultimate prophet and messenger of god and the messiah, sent to guide the children of israel with a new revelation. Why i hate religion, but love jesus spoken word youtube. To ask other readers questions about jesus religion, please sign up. Jesusreligion will help readers abandon dead, dry, rulekeeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved.
In hinduism, an avatar is the bodily incarnation of a deity on earth. Despite these differences, christians generally agree that faith in jesus lies at. Simply put, if theres one book you read all year, let it be this one. Jesus plus anything, even religion, ruins everything. Watch and listen as he breaks up a funeral by raising the dead, confronts conniving religious leaders of his day, teaches on a galilean hillside, or walks on the waves and calms the storm. Jesus for the nonreligious invokes the notion that spong is about to explain to the unchurched, the exiled, perhaps even the unbelieving, how jesus presents a crucial and superb model of philosophy, morality, or social justice. Bethke speaks for this generation, while admitting that he is not a pastor or theologian.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is based on the teachings of jesus christ who lived in the holy land 2,000 years ago. He communicates a strong message of how jesus is greater than religion. The identification of yeshu as jesus is problematic. Much mischief in catholicism often results from overemphasizing one or another pole of. Jesus calling never should have been a best seller. Can you believe that a christian missionary would go to china and labor for many years to win converts to the religion of christ, and never once mention the. Thats the kind of nonsense religion pushes on people. One puzzle of the world is that religions often dont resemble their founders. This book was prepared for religion online by richard and sue kendall. Jews believe that there is one god like christians do, but they do not believe that this one god consists of 3 persons. Jan 01, 2007 jesus for the nonreligious offered insight into the common misconceptions of the gospels, it dispelled the myths surrounding jesus christ while also maintained that jesus was a real person.
In jesus, the one and only, bestselling author and bible teacher beth moore invites you to know christ personally. Sep 04, 2016 the cast from a palm sunday passion play in wisconsin. In robert anthonys first book, jesus did not start a religion robert shares his stories about how god showed him many simple truths surrounding jesus christ, outside of religion. Christianity is not a bookreligion christ in you ministries. Christianity is relationship, not religion or ritual. Jesus story is not original discussion in religious debates started by mw0082, sep 23, 2010. It will engage many, especially young people, who have been hurt by or given up on the church. Jul 09, 2017 jesus is not a religion, and just because we have come up with a term to describe a gathering religion, i do not consider my relationship with christ religious. Why he is so much better than trying harder, doing more, and being good enough by jefferson bethke releases october 7, 20. How to embrace jesus without religion, read more about spiritual life growth, christian living, and faith. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on christ.
You soon realize jeffs entire life isnt filled with sainthood. Jesus never mentioned gays or abortion but focused on the. The lifetimes when jesus and buddha knew each other. Jesus is harsh with the religious people because they are wolves who close their eyes to the light, make rules for god, want praise for themselves, and defend their idols. I wish i could tell you this is a book you cant put down, but its not. Jeffs book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Before christ found me in my sin and saved me by his grace through faith, by repenting and asking for forgiveness, i thought i had to be religious. Jan 17, 2012 spiritual but not religious love jesus but hate religion joe paprocki understanding kids more and more today, we hear people saying that they are spiritual but not religious, meaning that they believe in god but choose not to encounter him within the context of the institutional church.
Doing this, he reconstructs the life and teachings of jesus, showing the real content and significance of what jesus said and what he did. Many broad statements are made about god that are not supported by scripture. As in the christian new testament, the quran the central religious text of islam describes jesus as the messiah. Apr 02, 2020 the most detailed record of the life and death of jesus comes from the four gospels and other new testament writings. Spong challenges much of the traditional understanding, from the tale of jesus miraculous birth to the account of his cosmic ascension into.
Christian faith, described in these terms, is not synonymous with credulity, but. Spiritual but not religious love jesus but hate religion. Robert traveled some 30 us states and 15 countries, ministering without any organizational affiliation or religious ordination. Jefferson walks the reader through his history with religion and jesus. Im a 19 year old lad, working in a christian organisation and this is book has help me grow deeper in love with jesus. In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or. Watch and listen as he breaks up a funeral by raising the dead, confronts conniving religious leaders of his day, teaches on a galilean hillside, or. Houses, cars, and bank accounts are never totally yours. The religion of jesus does not seek to escape this life in order to enjoy the waiting bliss of another existence. Jesus religion by jefferson bethke audiobook download. While statements like these may be believed by many christians, they are not consistent with scriptures teaching. Throughout jesusreligion, jefferson does a great job of pointing the reader to a true picture of who jesus by referring to biblical texts unfortunately he does close the book with the messages version of matthew 11. He is also an editor for ockham publishing and a contributor to american atheist magazine.
These were all done with empirical evidence available. He later studied jesus of nazareth in college, which led aslan to a doctorate in the sociology of religion. For example, the talmud mentions yeshu ben panderaben stada s stepfather, pappos ben yehuda, speaking with rabbi akiva, who was executed at the culmination of the bar kokhba revolt in 5 ce. Oct 24, 20 the books title and content are inspired by his spokenword video, why i hate religion, but love jesus, which has been viewed 26 million times. Though often perceived as the religion of the book, christianity is only rightly understood as an ontological relationship with. Jesusreligion is the followup book, which further elucidates upon. Why he is so much better than trying harder, doing more, and being. Mcafee attended university of california, santa barbara, and graduated. This book explores six of the lifetimes in which the incarnations of jesus and buddha lived together, beginning in 700 b. Christianity is not a religion like other religions but is rather a life lived in a loving relationship with the true god and creator, our lord jesus christ, and consequently, a life lived in love for the human race that he created in his own image. After his spoken word on the same subject when viral why i hate religion, but love jesus, jeff decided he wanted to write.
They train you to turn your back on courage, strength, and conscious living. We are stuck by rules and not actually being like jesus. Love god with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Alma the younger describes faith as a seed in alma 32 in the book of. Writing from his prison cell in nazi germany in 1945 d. Why he is so much better than trying harder, doing more, and being good enough kindle edition by bethke, jefferson, lecrae. These are all christian and are obviously and understandably biased in what. The result is a strikingly new and different portrait of jesus of nazareth, a jesus for the nonreligious. The most detailed record of the life and death of jesus comes from the four gospels and other new testament writings. Sep 23, 2010 but of this possible person, not a line was written when he lived, and of his life and character the world of today knows absolutely nothing. Jesus did exist and this is the real story science news. The video immediately went viral, amassing millions of views in less than a month. Tom oconnor international business times, december, 2016 jesus christ is revered by christians as the son of god and come dec. And if he did, perhaps the paulists or the early roman church did away with it, since it would surely have been a jewish book, and not compatible with pauline christianity, much less postnicaean christianity.
The result is a strikingly new and different portrait of jesus of nazaretha jesus for the nonreligious. Jesus did exist and this is the real story science. These were all done with empirical evidence available from historical data and the scriptures themselves. Jesus didnt take the jewish scriptures at face value. Jesusreligion is the followup book, which further elucidates upon this central theme. Jesus never existed is a brave, heavily researched, accurate and eminently readable book that should be prized by any reader concerned with the birth of religion, the insidious influence of neochristianity in the western world or merely gathering information in a personal. The small daily devotional book put out by christian publishing house thomas nelson in 2004 had an unknown author, a cheesy premise, and the bad. Jesus for the nonreligious by john shelby spong goodreads. I would recommend it to any age, at any point in their faith.
Jul 09, 2017 not in the negative way we typically use that word in modern english. Along his journey, bethke discovered the real jesus, who beckoned him beyond the props of false religion. Oct 07, 20 throughout jesusreligion, jefferson does a great job of pointing the reader to a true picture of who jesus by referring to biblical texts unfortunately he does close the book with the messages version of matthew 11. Jefferson bethke has recently published jesus religion. And to follow jesus for any other reason than new life is to belittle the cross. When jefferson bethkes video went viral in early 2012, what impressed me even more than his spoken word poetry was how he responded to his critics. Christianity not a religion of the book oct 8, 2008. Now aslans controversial new book about jesus is about to make him a. Oct 08, 2008 christianity not a religion of the book oct 8, 2008. Black, short sleeve adult tee with small front cross with powerful christian message. Heaven and hell are not what jesus preached, religion. Times religion writer russell chandler, in his 1988 book understanding the new age, over 42% of americans believe that they have been in touch with someone who has died. In jesus religion, bethke unpacks contrasts similar to those he drew in the poem highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair and hope. In jesus religion, bethke unpacks the stark contrasts that he drew in the poemcontrasts between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair and hope.
Now the lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the lord is, there is freedom. 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 worksbased, fakesmile existence that sapped his strength and. The god can become incarnate in one place at a time as a full avatar or in many places simultaneously through partial avatars called amshas, such that the main form of the god can still communicate with the partial materializations. Why he is so much better than trying harder, doing more, and being good enough. In one sense, faith in christianity is often discussed in terms of believing gods promises. I found this work fascinating because it provides the reader a window into attitudes on christianity held by the twentysomething or millennial generation.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading jesus religion. If you want to divorce jesus from the category of religion, that is you say you are not in a religion but in a relationship, you have explain how your relationship is substantially different in function than what we see in other religions. Jesus never existed is a brave, heavily researched, accurate and eminently readable book that should be prized by any reader concerned with the birth of religion, the insidious influence of neochristianity in the western world or merely gathering information in a personal quest for truth. Jesus certainly was not a bible believer, as we use that term in the post billy graham era of american fundamentalist religiosity thats used as a trademarked product to sell religion. 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 worksbased. Catholic church states that the christian faith is not a religion of the book. The religion of jesus provides the joy and peace of another and spiritual existence to enhance and ennoble the life which men now live in the flesh. This is not, as the title suggests, a theological riposte to the hugely popular god denying books by richard dawkins and christopher hitchens.
Finding grace in a worksdriven culture himaya, alex on. Christianity isnt a relationship, its still a religion. In this book, john shelby spong puts flesh onto the bare bones of bonhoeffers radical thought. In january of 2012, jefferson bethke debuted his youtube video, why i hate religion, but love jesus, a poetry recitation which sought to highlight the difference between the true ministry of jesus christ and socalled false religion. Christianity not a religion of the book national catholic. Aug 12, 2016 jesus did exist and this is the real story. Fisichellas call to reject the phrase religion of the book echoes a point already made by cardinal marc ouellet of quebec city, the relator of the synod, in his opening address. The cast from a palm sunday passion play in wisconsin.
Much mischief in catholicism often results from overemphasizing one or another pole of a continuum. There is a book titled the quest of the historical jesus by albert schweitzer. They regard jesus as the supreme revelation of god, with the bible being a. Religious rules are all about the externalnot the internaland raise human preferences to the level of gods laws. Furthermore, yeshu the pharisee student is described as being a student of the secondcentury bce. The study unpacks and highlights the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair and hope. Writing from his prison cell in nazi germany in 1945 dietrich bonhoeffer, a young german theologian, sketched a vision of what he called religionless christianity. In his first book, jesus religion, jefferson bethke helps us understand that there is a big different between the rulekeeping of religion and the freedom in obedience we should have in the saving grace of jesus christ. Jesus for the nonreligious offered insight into the common misconceptions of the gospels, it dispelled the myths surrounding jesus christ while also maintained that jesus was a real person. These are all christian and are obviously and understandably biased in. Jesus for the nonreligious invokes the notion that spong is about to explain to the unchurched, the exiled, perhaps even the unbelieving. Religion will teach you to fear being different, to fear standing up for yourself, and to fear being an independent thinker. Jesus is greater than religion jefferson bethke book.