Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

  Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism By David P. Gushee Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton In Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism , David P. Gushee offers a candid memoir that chronicles his spiritual journey within the American evangelical movement. This book is not merely a narrative of Gushee's life; it is a profound reflection on the challenges of maintaining personal integrity in the face of institutional pressures and societal expectations.   Gushee, a distinguished professor of Christian ethics, was born and raised a Roman Catholic. His transition to Southern Baptist evangelicalism marked a significant turn in his spiritual quest, one that would lead him to grapple with the complexities of faith, scholarship, and moral conviction. The book is laid out chronologically, allowing readers to follow Gushee's path from a zealous Baptist teenager to a respected academic and outspoken advocate for LGBTQ inclusion w

                                                               Do I Stay Christian?    By Brian D. McLaren   Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton   “He’s an atheist now.” “She came home from that church in tears.” “We’re agnostic. We just don’t know.”   In the past decade, it seems like young adults have been fleeing church as if there was an active shooter in the sanctuary. I am privileged to remain friends with former university students on social media. I see some have left evangelical churches and some declare themselves atheists. I interact with older friends across the USA whose adult children have given up their evangelical beliefs. Some felt welcomed in mainline congregations but others appear to be in some vague spiritual place that I couldn’t quite locate.   Brian D. McLaren appears in tune with the times in his 2022 book, Do I Stay Christian . Years ago a friend introduced me to McLaren with a gift of A Generous Orthodoxy . I liked his idea of inclusivit

  The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible’s Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love   By      John Shelby Spong     Reviewed by      Geoffrey W. Sutton The Sins of Scripture continues to be relevant to topics that divide American Christians into two major war camps over such subjects as biblical authority, the equality of women, same-sex relationships, and doctrinal distinctions that mark boundaries of exclusivity. Spong divides his 32 short chapters into eight sections within 298 pages of a highly readable work. Section 1 is crucial to his discussion of other topics because he challenges the view of some Christians that the Bible is the Word of God although they retain the right to interpret God’s Word in their own way. Like other writers (e.g., Borg, 2001 ; Enns, 2014 ), Spong argues against biblical literalism when reading the sacred text of Christianity. He offers problematic examples like ancient perspectives on mental illness and improbable stories like the on

  Authors : Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton Reference Borg, M.J. & Crossan, J.D. (2009). The first Paul: Reclaiming the radical visionary behind the church’s conservative icon . HarperCollins e-books.   Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan introduce us to the apostle Paul by providing historical contexts for his life and teachings. Early on they explain why only a small collection of documents were actually written by the apostle who wrote the first “books” in the New Testament. Scholars affirm seven letters (aka books) were actually written by Paul: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon. Scholars believe the pastoral epistles were written later by other authors. These are 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. Finally, scholars disagree about the authorship of Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians; however, according to Borg and Crossan, most believe these were not written by Paul. The

  The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith  by Marcus Borg A review by Geoffrey W. Sutton The Heart of Christianity offers Christians, and those wanting a better understanding of Christianity, a cogent look at two major divisions on what it means to be a Christian. In the opening chapters, Borg contrasts two views by referring to them as an “earlier paradigm” and an “emerging paradigm.” The earlier view is the one familiar to those who flip on a TV and hear televangelists or conservative clergy talk about Christianity in terms of belief statements and what it means to be saved and headed for heaven after death. The emerging paradigm has come to be known as “progressive” in recent years. The two major components of the emerging paradigm are compassion and justice. These are at the heart of God and reflected in the mission of Jesus. These become the defining ways to follow Jesus’ way as Christians. Borg reminds readers of that oft quoted verse that God loves the worl

  JESUS Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of      a Religious Revolutionary By    Marcus Borg Reviewed by     Geoffrey W.Sutton   “ Jesus ” is a scholarly review of Jesus’ life and times. Marcus Borg carefully examines the gospels and the small amount of extrabiblical sources to help us understand Jesus' mission in the context of his life as a Jew from a small town under Roman domination. Borg acknowledges that all historical studies involve a degree of subjectivity, which he tempers by providing cogent reasons for his perspective thus allowing readers to form their judgment about his interpretation of the gospels and other available records. It is no secret that Christians are “ A House Divided ” about many matters. This is notably evident in the United States. And this is the author’s context. Borg begins by providing us with a perspective on divided Christianity. Instead of focusing on denominations, he refers to two broad views or paradigms. His