Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos

Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos

What if Kurt Vonnegut wrote a novel (thinly disguised as memoir - or perhaps vice-versa) about a man's interaction with hallucinations of Jesus? This is quite nearly what Matt Mikalatos accomplishes in Imaginary Jesus [1]. A tame, predictable 'Christian novel' this ain't. When Jesus gets punched in the face after wrestling with the Apostle Peter in a 21st century Portland diner, readers may question whether it would be blasphemous to keep on reading. But after a scene like that who would be able to keep from reading just one more page? As Jesus runs off, Mikalatos, being both author and main character, demands an explanation from Peter. After all, that is his own personal Jesus Peter just hit, interrupting the awkward lunch they were having. Peter justifies himself by saying that was not the real Jesus at all, only (wait for it...) an imaginary Jesus. The rest of the story unfolds in the same sharp-witted, mind-bending, faith-challenging excursion. Matt and Peter chase after this imaginary Jesus in Peter's valiant attempt to show Matt the lies he has believed about his faith all along - for only by seeing the lies will Matt ever come to know the real Jesus. Though styled as a live documentary from real life writer Matt Mikalatos, do not expect to find typical reality in this very fictional novel. Reality flies out of the book as soon as Jesus steps into the diner with his sandaled feet and iPod. Think iconoclasm and theological suspense - this very different novel has both in spades! [hide] Sorry, we're fresh out of Imaginary Jesus! (You can always find it at your favorite local bookstore, or here [2].) If you'd like to review something this month, we still have limited copies of Dan Brennan's book on opposite-sex friendships [3] amongst singles and marrieds available. Link-Love for your Review: http://imaginaryjesus.com [4]/ - a pretty cool book site http://myimaginaryjesus.com [5]/ - a contest that Mikalatos is running http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FBO0qrxHIw [6] - A well-done book trailer http://blog.imaginaryjesus.com [7]/ - Matt's blog Interview Availability: Matt is available for blog and podcast interviews. If you'd like to interview Matt, please email Todd Littleton at Todd@theooze.com [/hide] [1] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414335636?ie=UTF8&tag=zoecarnatecom-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1414335636 [2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414335636?ie=UTF8&tag=zoecarnatecom-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1414335636 [3] http://viralbloggers.com/2010/04/sacred-unions-sacred-passions-by-dan-brennan/ [4] http://imaginaryjesus.com [5] http://myimaginaryjesus.com [6] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FBO0qrxHIw [7] http://blog.imaginaryjesus.com

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The Gospel You’ve Never Heard: Who Really Goes to Hell? by David Rudel

The Gospel You’ve Never Heard: Who Really Goes to Hell? by David Rudel

Do you ever struggle with how limited our contemporary understandings of the gospel seem? How Jesus and Paul sometimes seem to be saying different - indeed, opposite - things about the 'good news'? About why there seems to be the good news of Jesus and good news about Jesus? If so, then The Gospel You've Never Heard by David Rudel is for you. The Gospel You've Never Heard makes a lateral move away from conventional descriptions of the Bible's teachings in a way that allows the reader to view modern dogmas of the Left and Right alike through a fresh lens. The book's first two chapters raise questions evangelical Christianity has considerable trouble answering. Rather than attempt incredible rhetorical acrobatics to explain away these very real issues, the author asks the reader to entertain, at least provisionally, that there might be genuine Biblical problems with the gospel portrayed by the modern church. Questions like: Why are the dozens of descriptions of the Judgment conveyed in Matthew, Mark, and Luke so at odds with the version(s) described by modern Christians? In light of Jesus' teaching (Judge not and you will not be judged and By the same measure you judge others, you shall be judged yourself), what does the former of these say about non-believers who do not judge others...or believers who do? How does the latter compare with the claims of modern Christians that God has no choice but to judge everyone against the same standard of perfection? Rudel does not merely bring up these and many other difficulties; he also describes how the message of the modern Christian church matches neither the prophecies of the Old Testament specifying the work of the Messiah nor the evangelism of the early apostles showcased in the book of Acts. Even so, this book is no attack on Christianity or the Bible. Rather, it describes the myriad problems caused by trying to scrunch the ancient Christian gospel into a Western, human-centered, 21st-century mindset. For fans of scholars of like N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and James Dunn, Rudel brings clarity to Christ's purpose by appealing to the Jewish framework the New Testament was written within. In Rudel's estimation, Jesus' teachings, Paul's writings, and God's Judgment all make sense and come alive once we let God's work and desires speak more clearly than Western philosophy and human insecurity. In getting 'judgment' right, God's work in Christ and Christ's work as Judge become clear. Rudel convincingly claims that most of the modern gospel is based on "natural theology" rather than the Bible. In opposition to this, The Gospel You've Never Heard provides an understanding of salvation and the final judgment that is rooted in the Bible's native tongue, as narrative rather than scattershot verse pastiche. Rather than twist and reinterpret Jesus' words to fit within a framework dictated by a few choice passages written 20 years later by Paul, Rudel shows Jesus' teachings on the Judgment and Paul's ostensibly opposed writings on salvation can peacefully coexist once we understand what each refers to. The Gospel You've Never Heard is intended to act as a bridge among disparate seekers of spiritual truth. Conservative Christians, those traditionally in favor of a 'literal' reading of scripture, can mature spiritually by grappling with very real, very important, and very biblical issues. Progressive Christians, who may long ago have eschewed a serious esteem for the Bible, will be challenged to reconsider their evaluation of scripture's place and value. Non-Christians will find a refreshing vision of Christianity here that is less easily dismissed for the simple reason that it makes far more sense and avoids the cardboard-cutout versions of God many accuse evangelicals of portraying. The book responds to a lot of questions people have, questions that are not often presented in church and are seldom engaged satisfactorily when someone is brave enough to bring them up. Rudel's vision exhorts all Christians to better engage and value this world, the creation they are called to transform into a Kingdom where the oppressed are uplifted while justice, truth, peace, and love reign. About David Rudel David Rudel was a theoretic mathematician; now he's a writer, editor, mathematical modeler, and theologian working on church reform. He's written three chess books and this one on Christian theology. [hide] :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: We're out of hard copies of this title! However, you can email Mike at zoecarnate@theooze.com for an eBook copy! Link-love for your review: David's blog: http://www.authentic-christianity.net/ [1] The Gospel You've Never Heard booksite: http://www.whoreallygoestohell.com/ [2] David's website on chess strategy: http://www.zukertort.com/ [3] ...and of course, your Amazon affiliates link. : ) Interview Availability: David is available for blog and podcast interviews. If you'd like to interview David, email him at David@biblicalheresy.com with "OOZE Viral Blogger Interview Request" in the subject line. [/hide] [1] http://www.authentic-christianity.net/ [2] http://www.whoreallygoestohell.com/ [3] http://www.zukertort.com/

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After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by N.T. Wright

After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by N.T. Wright

If you want to write a Christian best-seller these days, there are a few tried-and-true methods. One is to write Christian self-help; how to have your "best life now." Another is to write taking an extreme position on some theological matter or another, like how we need to change or die, or why we need to retrench in our received traditions or die. But what if the things that pique our ears are drowning out other, subtler - but absolutely crucial - themes in Christian spirituality, themes long-lost and long-overdue for recovery? This is the conviction of New Testament scholar, gentle provocateur, and Anglican bishop of Durham, England N.T. Wright. Following up on his widely-acclaimed Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope, Wright poses a simple question: What is our purpose? If that question sounds familiar (see the above discussion about Christian bestsellers), Wright's answer is decidedly unfamiliar in today's spiritual and intellectual climate: Christ-like virtue in the here and now. And if that answer sounds boring, well, you haven't heard it coming from Bishop Tom's pen. Wright dispels the common misconception that Christian living is nothing more than a checklist of dos and don'ts. Nor is it a prescription to "follow your heart" wherever it may lead. Instead, After You Believe reveals the Bible's call for a revolution—a transformation of character that takes us beyond our earthly pursuit of money, sex, and power into a virtuous state of living that allows us to reflect God and live more worshipful, fulfilling lives. In so doing, the question of what we're doing in this ambiguous time between baptism and funeral becomes much less staid and much more invigorating, as we discover the essence of Kingdom living here and now. [hide] :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: I'm so sorry, we're requested-out of this title! (You can, of course, always purchase it at your local bookseller or here [1].) But! We have two awesome [2] (and somewhat opposing) books on The Gospel [3] available for review; 'The Gospel You've Never Heard' is particularly Wright-ian. Feel free to select BOTH of these, actually, as I'd love to hear your point/counterpoint reviews on this all-important subject. ------- Requesting After You Believe Due to the high expected demand for reviewing this title, we have an additional request made for anyone who would like After You Believe: Could you have it reviewed within 10-14 days of receiving it? It’s an engaging read, and once you begin it’s doubtful you’ll want to put it down. We’re not asking you to relax your usual standards of writing and podcasting integrity; you can love the book, loathe it, or anything in between. But the publisher has requested that we get our initial reviews into the blogosphere coinciding with the book release date, and we’d like to honor this request. You’ll be among the first readers on the continent to receive a copy of this book, weeks before the release date. Link-love for your review: N.T. Wright doesn't maintain a personal web page, but a comprehensive one is maintained for him here: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/ [4] Browse inside: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061730559/After_You_Believe/index.aspx [5] Interview Availability: N.T. Wright is available for a limited amount of interviews with bloggers and podcasters. If you’d like to be considered for a review, email me at zoecarnate@theooze.com [6] and I’ll connect you with his publicist. [/hide] [1] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061730556?ie=UTF8&tag=zoecarnatecom-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0061730556 [2] http://viralbloggers.com/tag/gospel/ [3] http://viralbloggers.com/tag/gospel/ [4] http://www.ntwrightpage.com/ [5] http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061730559/After_You_Believe/index.aspx [6] http://viralbloggers.commailto:zoecarnate@theooze.com

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Live Sent by Jason Dukes

Live Sent by Jason Dukes

What if being ‘missional’ shifted from being about creating a worship gathering to living a well-crafted life? What if being ‘missional’ shifted from a conversion mentality to a contributor mindset? What is the crucial difference between ‘discipleship’ as program and ‘discipling’ as life? All of this and more is explored in Live Sent: You Are A Letter by Jason Dukes. Jason sees the good news of Jesus working in a context of radical interdependence. Here’s how he puts it in his own words: “What’s my part in this epic called humanity?’ The people whom you encounter every day actually need you. They need you, and you need them. We all need each other – to know each other. Our lives both compliment and supplement each other. That’s how humanity works – together.” You are a letter, his premise continues. Your everyday life is more than just a story being written. You were created to receive and send a message intentionally into the lives of the people you do life with daily. That's how love is demonstrated and how relationships happen and how people find abundant life as they were intended to find it. We live out our intended purpose and mission when we live beyond ourselves. Are you giving yourself away in the daily, being to other people the letter of God's love that has been written on your heart? We must be that letter together. Our community needs us. Our world needs us. Let's live sent. “If people think that missional is simply growing a worship gathering instead of releasing people into everyday life, they are misunderstanding missional. Missional is all about “living sent.” Jason Dukes is communicating a message that is vital for people to truly understand the mission for which they were created. I will recommend this book in my spheres of influence.” – Ed Stetzer If this approach to missional living is something that resonates with you, be sure to check out this brief but fresh read. [hide] [1] :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: About Jason Jason C Dukes and his wife, Jen, live in Florida with their four young children. He is a follower and a leader, a learner and a teacher, a writer and a dreamer, a pastor and an entrepreneur, and someone who tries to live sent daily. He hopes you will too. Link-love for your review: There’s a lot of link-love for Jason – he’s wired! Book Blog [2] Personal Blog [3] Jason Dukes interview on the Something Beautiful Podcast [4] Twitter: @jasoncdukes [5] Live Sent on Twubs [6] Humanity Beautiful [7] Westpoint Fellowship [8] Reproducing Churches [9] House Blend Café [10] Jason speaking at the LIVE SENT 2009 Conversation [11] Live Sent YouTube channel [12] Interview Availability: Jason is available for blog and podcast interviews. You will receive his contact information if you select Live Sent to review this month. [/hide] [1] http://viralbloggers.wufoo.com/forms/live-sent/ [2] http://livesent.com [3] http://jasoncdukes.wordpress.com [4] http://somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/jason-c-dukes-2-36 [5] http://www.twitter.com/jasoncdukes [6] http://twubs.com/livesent [7] http://HumanityBeautiful.com [8] http://westpointchurch.org [9] http://reproducingchurches.com [10] http://houseblendcafe.com [11] http://livingsent.blogspot.com/2009/09/live-sent-conversation-2009.html [12] http://www.youtube.com/LiveSent

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