TheOOZE Viral Bloggers

The Simple Life by Thom & Art Rainer

No, we’re not offering you the retrospective tell-all about Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s reality TV series – if such a thing even exists. This is even better: How-to-live by Southern Baptists! Check thy prejudices at the door, pilgrim. The research and change methods that made Simple Church a multiawarded ministry best seller are now applied to everyday matters in Simple Life. Authors Thom S. Rainer and Art Rainer interviewed a cross-section of 1,077 individuals to confirm that most people feel their lives are overly stressful and misguided, not allowing enough time for what really counts. As they share these I-can-relate stories, the Rainers chart a simple path from joyless to joyful. Breaking life down into four key sections (Time, Relationships, God, Money), the authors show how four key goals (Clarity, Movement, Alignment, Focus) can begin to foster a life that is more spiritual and less busy, a life rich in experiences with family and friends rather than double-booked to-do lists and late nights at the office. The book even lays out an easy-to-follow action plan that will move readers assuredly toward the simple life in just thirty days. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Thom Rainer’s website: http://thomrainer.com [1] Interview Availability: The authors are available for blog and podcast review. You will receive their contact information when you select The Simple Life as this month's review title. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about The Simple Life within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post to this one. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://thomrainer.com/

The Diversity Culture by Matthew Raley

We are facing a crisis in civility in our society. Whereas in the 1990s polarizing talk radio was a growing novelty, today this level of demeaning, caricaturing, hyperbole-laden discourse is the New Normal in America’s public square. Even worse, it seems to have found a hotbed of grassroots support among American evangelical Christians. Evangelical Christians, it seems, feel the ‘pain’ of our multicultural, pluralistic society more than most. In fact, to many of the rest of us (this would include emerging, mainline, and progressive Christians), multiculturalism and pluralism aren’t negative realities at all, but something to be celebrated. Even so, emerging and missional Christians often wrestle with how to witness authentically to the life of God found in Jesus without culturally steam-rolling our friends, neighbors, and relatives. Enter a self-confessed ‘conservative evangelical’ California pastor, whose book The Diversity Culture is sub-titled Creating Conversations of Faith with Buddhist Barristas, Agnostic Students, Aging Hippies, Political Activists, and Everyone In Between. Oh no, I grimaced when I first heard about this book (Hey – we take our book-screening seriously at TheOOZE!) – another culture warrior with an axe to grind. Not so. Raley is a compassionate, humane voice, who does a surprisingly good (if not slightly over-stuffed) sympathetic portrait of a woman who thinks quite differently than he, right in the first chapter. He then paints a compelling picture of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan (read: wrong religion, wrong culture, wrong lifestyle, wrong gender) woman at the well as an example of cross-cultural communication that is both clear and without fear. Our new diversity culture makes evangelicals uncomfortable, Raley proposes; not because they feel threatened, but because they feel excluded. Matthew tackles the social tensions between evangelicals and the diversity culture. Drawing on analysis of contemporary media, ancient sources, and Scripture, The Diversity Culture examines cultural barriers and how they can be broken, helping Christians understand this cosmopolitan group on their own terms. This illuminating tome gives Christians the understanding and tools they need to cross socioeconomic, ethical, and ideological barriers and heal relationships in the name of Christ. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Matthew Raley’s blog – http://tritonelife.com [1] First chapter download – http://store.kregel.com/client/excerpt/978-0-8254-3579-9.pdf [2] Prime Time America - http://asxarchive.moodyradio.org/PrimeTimeAmerica/2009-07-09_Prime_Time_America__part_02.asx [3] (Raley is interviewed from 20:00 to 28:00. Note: This interview is hosted by Moody Radio, a longtime bastion of the culture wars. J ) Interview Availability: Matthew Raley is available for blog and podcast review. You will receive his contact information if you select The Diversity Culture as this month's review title. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about The Diversity Culture within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post to this one. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://tritonelife.com/ [2] http://store.kregel.com/client/excerpt/978-0-8254-3579-9.pdf [3] http://asxarchive.moodyradio.org/PrimeTimeAmerica/2009-07-09_Prime_Time_America__part_02.asx

The Seven Faith Tribes by George Barna

George Barna. Love him or loathe him, we take his polls, and read his results – as well as his interpretations of them. He’s earned the reputation of ‘maverick’ in recent years, making a 180 from years of supporting megachurch growth to advocating on behalf of the millions of ‘revolutionaries’ leaving institutional churches in favor of house churches and other relationally-based expressions of faith. At the same time, his investment in endeavors like BarnaFilms – providing faith-and-family-friendly programming – make it clear that he hasn’t abandoned his conservative evangelical commitments. So what on earth is making neopagan blogger Jason Pitzl-Waters ask [1] “could a prominent conservative Christian be calling for a new attitude in Christian-Pagan relations…[and] an end to the culture wars?” Jason is referring to The Seven Faith Tribes, and George Barna is at it again. In The Seven Faith Tribes Barna identifies, describes, and analyzes seven major “faith tribes” in America—documenting who they are, what they believe, how they vote, and what they are passionate about. Barna provides helpful insight into how these groups influence our economy, politics, and values—and what their potential is to change America. Through his in-depth study of all seven tribes, Barna has identified potential strategies that faith tribes—if they choose to—could employ to facilitate healing and restoration in American culture, and cultures across the world. The seven tribes are as follows: Captive Christians, Casual Christians, Jews, Mormons, Pantheists, Muslims, and Skeptics. The United States harbors a long and deep tradition of faith. From its founding as a nation of people who sought religious freedom to the present-day conversations regarding the appropriate expression of religious beliefs, American spirituality remains a hot topic of personal conversation, political intrigue, social commentary, and economic significance. But what do we know about the faith of Americans? Most analyses are woefully inadequate, lumping people into generic categories such as Protestant and Catholic, evangelical and mainline, charismatic and fundamentalist. These general portraits are of limited value. In The Seven Faith Tribes, Barna draws upon 25 years of research—and interviews with more than 30,000 people—to identify and closely study the seven dominant “faith tribes” in America. Who are they? What holds them together? How do they differ from each other? And what difference might understanding them make for the future of our country? Barna offers insightful information on each of these tribes and reveals astonishing insights about how they are influencing our economy, politics, and values. Most importantly, he predicts what lies next for faith in America—and how we all might come together to set the nation on a better course, no matter what faith we embrace. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Invite your readers to download a PDF chapter [2] of The Seven Faith Tribes America's Seven Faith Tribes Hold the Key to National Restoration [3] - article by Barna about the book Can Barna Unite the Tribes In Time to Save America? [4] - interesting neopagan preview of The Seven Faith Tribes Interview Availability: Barna’s availability for blog and podcast interviews is unknown at press time. Let me know if you’re interested in an interview – I’ll keep you posted! Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about The Seven Faith Tribes within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post underneath this entry. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://wildhunt.org/blog/2009/05/can-barna-unite-the-tribes-in-time-to-save-america.html [2] http://www.tyndale.com/products/nonfiction/details.asp?isbn=978-1-4143-2404-3&subpage= [3] http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/13-culture/262-americas-seven-faith-tribes-hold-the-key-to-national-restoration [4] http://wildhunt.org/blog/2009/05/can-barna-unite-the-tribes-in-time-to-save-america.html

A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church by Warren Cole Smith

Since World War II, evangelicals have emerged, seemingly from nowhere, as a potent political force and the focus of rapidly expanding retail markets. Megachurches and parachurch organizations like Focus on the Family attract both wealth and publicity, allowing them to reach more people than ever before. But something troubling has happened in spite of this expansion. Overall church attendance is not growing. Political clout has not yielded spiritual renewal. America's high divorce rate is just one of many melancholy cultural indicators that bigger is not necessarily better. Evangelicalism aims to cure these ills. What if, instead, it is actually preying on the body, like a cancerous tumor growing unchecked? In his new book, A Lover's Quarrel with the Evangelical Church, awarding-winning journalist Warren Cole Smith offers an insightful and deeply personal critique of the evangelical movement from the perspective of a long-time evangelical insider. Using solid research and original interviews with some of America's leading Christian thinkers, Smith offers an assessment of what has gone wrong as evangelicalism has grown in power and size and what must be done if the church is to be salt and light in a culture starved for redemption. “American evangelicalism, for all the good it has done, is in need of a modern reformation,” Smith states. “There is something toxic in the soil of the evangelical garden, and the poison has been building up over time, tainting everything. It is evident in our quick condemnation of homosexuality or alcohol or gambling, but our indulgence of greed and envy in the form of careerism. It’s there in the hypocrisy of religious-right political leaders quick (and right) to condemn big government and its corrupting power, but who think that the big ministries and megachurches they have created are somehow immune to the same corrupting power.” A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church reveals the lesser-reported events that have shaped every aspect of modern evangelicalism, starting with the Second Great Awakening (hint: it wasn’t so great). As only a great journalist can, Smith delivers some startling facts and raises serious questions about many of the practices and institutions that define modern evangelicalism including: · The evangelical myth—is the church really growing? · Body-count evangelism—makes for impressive stats, but at what cost? · The Christian Industrial complex—examining a Christian retail industry that generates billions · The Overhead Church—multimedia presentations a must, no hymnals or bibles necessary Smith wrote the book not as one who is on the outside looking in, but as one who has chosen to remain on the inside for forty years. As he describes the flawed approach of many of modern evangelicalism’s best-known leaders and organizations, Smith is quick to point out the many problematic activities in which he has actively participated. He longs to see a church that embraces her ancestry, values spiritual depth over bragging rights, and is shaped more by the words of Scripture than by the whims of youth culture. In the end, Smith’s intention is not simply to lob accusations but to restore health to the body of Christ. “I call it a ‘lover’s quarrel’ because I believe it is important to speak the truth with love, as Scripture commands, but also to speak it as two lovers would,” Smith says. “In a marriage, two become one. When a husband cuts his wife, he injures himself. So it is with the church. We are all members of the body of Christ. When one hurts, we all hurt. Therefore, it is not the goal of this book to destroy, but to encourage, sharpen, and build.” [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: http://loversquarrel.net [1] – the official site for Warren and the book. Nice & clean. Interview Availability: Warren is available for blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get his email address if you select A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post underneath this entry. Thank you! [hide] [1] http://loversquarrel.net/

Finding An Unseen God by Alicia Britt Chole

Do you ever discover a gem of a new (or at least, new-to-you) writer and wish all of your friends could read her – particularly your friends who enjoy memoir and narrative nonfiction? This is how I feel about Alicia Britt Chole and her Finding an Unseen God. Truth is dead. God never lived. Life is filled with pain. Death is the end of life. These beliefs formed Chole's outlook as a young woman. "I sincerely believed that there was no God," she says. "As a young Atheist, I simply considered myself a realist who preferred unanswered questions over fairy tales." Then one day, without warning, Alicia's atheistic paradigm was shattered. Finding an Unseen God is written and arranged creatively, nonlinearly in her narrative. If it wasn't such an overused phrase, dare I say her storytelling style is...postmodern? This concise travelling companion opens a window into Alicia's surprising spiritual journey. With warmth, intellect, and compassion, Alicia invites us to carefully consider what we believe and do not believe, while she paints a vivid portrait of a God who relentlessly pursues even those who wrestle with doubt and ambiguity. Here's what Mark Batterson [1] has to say about Finding An Unseen God: "Alicia's heartfelt and thoughtful words penetrate the soul and make you feel and think in new ways." [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Finding An Unseen God: The Book Trailer [2] - all nice & YouTube-embeddable Truth Portraits [3] Alicia’s official website Invite your readers to read excerpts [4] from Finding an Unseen God Peace for the Journey [5] - an excellent review of the book Interview Availability: Alecia is available for blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get her email address if you select Finding an Unseen God for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about Finding an Unseen God within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post underneath this entry. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.evotional.com/ [2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-glSwXzyNgE [3] http://www.truthportraits.com/ [4] http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&AudId=205F4A61B07648D98551934CA40DE116&tier=3&id=92433763B99A428EB0B44D44E003AE7E [5] http://peaceforthejourney.blogspot.com/2009/05/finding-unseen-god-by-alicia-chole-book.html

A People’s History of Christianity by Diana Butler Bass

Am I the only one who gets depressed reading church history sometimes? For supposed followers of Jesus, there sure seems to be a lot of killing and ugly attitudes among the faithful through the ages. I was pleased last year to read Saving Paradise [1] by Brock and Parker, and I’m equally thrilled to introduce you to Diana Butler Bass’s latest offering, which I think will transform how emerging and missional Christians see their heritage. Subtitled A History of the Grassroots Movements in Christianity that Preserved Jesus' Message of Social Justice for 2,000 Years and Their Impact on the Church Today, Bass’s A People’s History of Christianity is written in the same spirit as Howard Zinn's radical and groundbreaking work A People's History of the United States. In this landmark volume, Bass reveals the under-reported movements, personalities, and spiritual practices that continue to inform and ignite contemporary Christian worship, activism, and social justice reforms in the name of Jesus. The book will offer up a much-needed “other side of the story” for missional and emerging Christians, drawing from examples of alternative practices in every period of Christian history, including: Care for the environment and celebrating God in nature Defining compassion, hospitality, and social justice as integral to the Gospel Peace-making as the pervasive Christian response to war Highlighting the female attributes of God, and the power of women in the Church Celebrating human sexuality as a gift from God This is the book that “the great emergence” has been waiting for - a deeply researched history of Christianity that sheds new light on the underreported personalities and movements of the faith. Bass has garnered a groundswell of support for this innovative project, spanning the conventional left/right spiritual divide. Here’s a sampling: “It would be difficult to imagine anyone reading this book without finding some new insight or inspiration, some new and unexpected testimony to the astonishing breadth of Christianity through the centuries.” —Philip Jenkins, author of The Next Christendom “A perfect armchair companion for contemporary Christians. Charmingly written and refreshing to read, yet rich in details and thorough in its mapping of the major themes and events that have shaped the evolution of the Western Church, A People’s History of Christianity is our story re-told with both clear-eyed affection and a scholar’s acumen.” —Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence “In this beautifully written history, Diana Butler Bass reveals the living, beating heart of love at the core of Christian faith.” —Sara Miles, author of Take This Bread "Intelligent and sassy, honest and redemptive. ...a warning that if we don't remember the blood-stained pages of the past, then we are doomed to repeat them., but also an invitation to participate in the next chapter of what it means to be the Church in this broken world." —Shane Claiborne, author of The Irresistible Revolution "An excellent introduction to grass-roots renewal movements as well as to the various shapes that Christian spirituality has taken through the ages. ...necessary reading for any who may have thought that history is irrelevant for present-day living." —Justo L. Gonzalez, author of The Story of Christianity "...this book is so much more than a wonderful overview of Christian history. It is also a joyful apologetic for a 'new kind of Christianity.' I already gave away my copy, because I knew it would help salvage the faltering faith of a disillusioned friend." —Brian McLaren, author of Everything Must Change and A New Kind of Christian "Interesting, insightful, illuminating, and remarkably relevant." —Marcus Borg, author of The Heart of Christianity "In a refreshing look at 2,000 years of Christian history from the bottom up, Butler Bass offers unique insights into the spirit has stirred the hearts and minds of faithful people over the centuries and brought renewal to Christianity during periods of upheaval and distress." —Christian Science Monitor "...immediately accessible, helped along by frequent and shrewd linkages to contemporary counterpoints. This presentation includes lots of folk along the way who never made the 'power lists.' Readers will resonate with this inclusiveness and be grateful to Bass for making them fellow travelers in the on-going story." —Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Diana's official website [2] Invite your readers to browse inside [3] A People’s History of Christianity Interview Availability: Diana’s availability for blog and podcast interviews is unknown at press time. Let me know if you’re interested in an interview – I’ll keep you posted! Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about A People’s History of Christianity within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post underneath this entry. Thank you! [hide] [1] http://savingparadise.net [2] http://dianabutlerbass.com/ [3] http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061448706

So Beautiful by Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet. He got many of us thinking about the postmodern cultural-spiritual shift in the 1990s with provocative titles like Quantum Spirituality, SoulTsunami and AquaChurch. These titles were like books on crack, seemingly taking a cue from the then-popular VH1 Pop-Up Video, with ADD-appropriate sprinkles of information overlaid on more conventional text. By the early, he was introducing proto-emergent ideas of faithful Christian engagement with postmodernity, including books like A Is For Abductive with Brian McLaren. By the mid-2000s, Sweet’s books took on a more contemplative (though no less provocative) tone beginning with Out of the Question…and Into The Mystery, while his message began to identify more with ‘missional’ and less with ‘emergent,’ whatever these constantly-shifting signifiers might point to. With Sweet’s latest offering, he deepens his commitments to a culturally-responsive and biblically-savvy ecclesiology. More than 50 years ago scientists made a remarkable discovery, proclaiming, "We have found the secret of life – and it's so pretty!" The secret? That life's biological code is helixical, two strands surrounding a single axis-the foundation for DNA. This design, Sweet proposes, points to an even deeper – and more poignant – secret. Just as DNA's three strands make life possible, three other elements work in harmony to make life not just pretty, but beautiful. And it's in the church where we find the greatest expression, and ultimate fulfillment, of these three components to a beautiful life. The Good Doctor Sweet presents an extraordinary look at life as it was intended to be lived, sharing secrets of God's design for God’s people in three interwoven elements that form the heart, soul and calling of the apprenticed-to-Jesus life. In the spirit of radical inquiry – from radix, going to the root –So Beautiful unearths God’s deep-rooted dreams for the church after his own heart. Recommended for missional, organic, and house church provocateurs, as well as open-minded emerging church folks. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Book trailer, complete with living DNA & beating hearts! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [1] Sample chapters to share with readers: http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [2] Sweet’s official website, under construction at press time: http://www.leonardsweet.com [3] Sweet’s Tweet: http://twitter.com/lensweet [4] Interview Availability: Leonard Sweet’s interview availability is unknown at press time. Please email Mike at zoecarnate [at] theooze [dot] com if you’d like to talk with Len on your blog or podcast. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about So Beautiful within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post into this blog entry. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [2] http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [3] http://www.leonardsweet.com/ [4] http://twitter.com/lensweet

Dede: In the Fields of Boaz

Rounding out our house-church two-pack this month is Dede (pronounced dee-dee)'s debut album, where she shares her life experiences through simple messages of song. Her aim: to draw the listener - with herself - closer to God. This mother of four, who recently celebrated her twelfth wedding anniversary with husband Jon, grew up in suburban Atlanta and began leading worship. Dede soon found herself writing and performing her own material, in what seemed a natural progression for her. The songs on this EP were born in times of spontaneous thanksgiving and worship, given more structure and form later. The title comes from the story of Ruth in the Bible - viewed through a typological lens of Christ and the Church. The album's ambiance is one of intimacy between an individual and her Redeemer and that can also be viewed as a corporate expression from the bride (Church) to her bridegroom (Christ). Incidentally, Dede is part of the same intentional house church community (http://atlantasaints.com) as Christ In Y'all author Neil Carter. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: NOTE: This title comes with "Christ In Ya'll" as well. Choosing this bundle also comes with the task of blogging about both titles. Link-love for your review: You can customize this for your Amazon affiliates' program: http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Boaz-EP-Dede-Slusser/dp/B000I5YSEQ There's also: http://www.myspace.com/dedemusic http://www.amcrex.com/music.php Interview Availability: Dede is available for blog and podcast interviews. You can also email her to get permission to include track samplings on your podcast. You'll get her email address if you select the house church two-pack for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about the house church two-pack within 30 days of getting it. Yes, you can write a single post about both this and Christ In Y'all - though you're welcome to write two! Please cut & paste your post in this post below. Thank you! [/hide]

Christ In Y’all: Following Jesus Into Community

by Neil Carter So it’s not every day that someone you’ve lived with and among for years and years writes a book…not a good book, anyway. But my friend (and long-time Atlanta-area house church mate) Neil Carter does both in his new release Christ In Y’all. So house churching has become more and more popular these days, taking its cue from persecution-laden locales like China and India, and springing up in American, British, and Australian soil in the wake of the Jesus Movement of the 1970s. Gathering in homes as ‘simple church’ has become all the more popular since George Barna’s Revolution told us that millions of people were doing it and Frank Viola’s Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church passionately argued why we should be doing it, too. But have you ever wondered what simple church ecclesiology might sound like coming from an ordinary member, a non-specialist, non-church planter? One who’s articulate but not mind-numbingly difficult to read, someone who’s into what they’re doing but not overly polemical about it? If so, you have Christ in Y’all by Neil. First, the title: Followers of Jesus were never meant to live alone. Hearing God speak and following God’s voice is a calling for a “we” rather than a “me.” When the Apostle Paul announces that “Christ in you [is] the hope of glory,” that “you” is plural. In other words – yep – Christ in y’all, the hope of glory. (May English teachers forgive us!) In these pages, Neil attempts to explain how spiritual formation is a collective endeavor. After spending nearly a decade meeting in homes with friends and followers of Jesus, he describes what he sees as key elements to thriving intentional Christian community, as well as surviving the pitfalls of home-based fellowships. Neil gave me this to sum up his book: “Our gospel is too small. We seem to care only about getting people to heaven, while God intends to make his home here on earth. How does God do that? He comes to dwell within the community of believers. And while it is true that his Spirit indwells each of our hearts individually, God shows up most vividly when we come together with one another. Christ In Y'all tackles these tough questions: • What did God create us in the first place? • Why do we suffer, and what does it accomplish? • How can we hear God speak to us today? • What single trait best marks a healthy church? • Why are so many committed believers quitting church lately? • Must we "do church" the way we've always done it? • What makes simple, informal gatherings more attractive than large, formal ones?” [hide] Title no longer Available :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: NOTE: This title comes with "Christ In Ya'll" as well. Choosing this bundle also comes with the task of blogging about both titles. Link-love for your review: http://ChristInYall.com [1] is Neil’s main hub http://christinyall.blogspot.com [2] is Neil’s blog Interview Availability: Neil is available for blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get his email address if you select the house church two-pack for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about the house church two-pack within 30 days of getting it. Yes, you can write a single post about both this and Dede: In the Fields of Boaz – though you’re welcome to write two! Please cut & paste your post here: http://viralbloggers.com/2009/04/dede-in-the-fields-of-boaz/ [3] Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://christinyall.com/ [2] http://christinyall.blogspot.com/ [3] http://viralbloggers.com../2009/01/dede-in-the-fields-of-boaz/

Jesus, Interrupted by Bart Ehrman

Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie [1] have not approved the message of this book - and nor, I'm guessing, will your evangelical friends. And yet Bart Ehrman has hit a nerve - as author of the most-used New Testament introductory textbook in America, the Chapel Hill bible scholar seeks to make the fruits of historical-critical biblical scholarship accessible to the average reader in a series of books including the New York Times best-selling Misquoting Jesus, the book that set the blogosphere a-buzz and actually incited three major-release books in response. Now, in Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them), Ehrman goes even further, suggesting not only that the Bible is riddled with inconsistencies and outright forgeries, but that many of Christianity's fundamental stories and doctrines don't actually exist within its pages-they were later inventions by people trying to make sense of a disconnected collection of texts. The Scriptures did not come down to us through the ages in one, harmonious, unbroken version. The story of Jesus was, in fact, interrupted. Based on years of scholarship, and just in time for your Easter blogging, TheOOZE offers you Ehrman's most important work-to-date. Jesus, Interrupted argues: Only 8 of the 27 books of the New Testament were actually written by the authors to whom they're attributed. Others are likely forgeries. The gospels provide remarkably divergent portrayals of Jesus. As an example, the crucifixion story varies greatly between the gospels of Mark and Luke. Mark's account depicts a suffering Jesus crying out "My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?" as he dies. Luke, however, portrays a calm Jesus who simply says "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." The message of the Apostle Paul and the message of gospel writer Matthew are completely at odds over the question of whether a follower of Jesus also had to observe the Jewish law. The Nicene Creed and the Trinity were constructs of the later church and are not found in the Bible. Traditional doctrines such as the suffering Messiah, the divinity of Christ, and the notion of heaven and hell are not based on the teachings of the historical Jesus. Sure to influence conversations about the Bible among faithful, skeptics, and emergent types alike, Ehrman's Jesus, Interrupted is sure to be talked about this Lenten season. Like every book we offer, we're neither endorsing it nor expecting you to - we only ask for your honest and sustained feedback. [hide] TITLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADxEspNE-Q [2] Jesus, Interrupted in Ehrman’s own words http://bartdehrman.com [3] Dr. B’s homepage http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780061173936&WT.mc_id=PBAN_OOZE_JSINT_021309 [4] Book page with video, excerpts and more http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/is-our-pain-gods-problem [5] - blogalogue: an interesting debate last year between Ehrman & NT Wright on the problem of pain and suffering Interview Availability: Dr. Ehrman is available for a select few podcast & higher-profile blog interviews. You will receive his publicist's contact information if you select Jesus, Interrupted for review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about Jesus, Interrupted within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post here: Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172493/ [2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADxEspNE-Q [3] http://bartdehrman.com/ [4] http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780061173936&WT.mc_id=PBAN_OOZE_JSINT_021309 [5] http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/is-our-pain-gods-problem

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