If the Church Were Christian - by Philip Gulley (Paperback)

About the Book

Includes discussion questions and an excerpt from The evolution of faith.

From the Back Cover

The largest group in American religious life may be the disillusioned--people who have been involved in the church, respect Jesus, but question what Christianity has become. In If the Church Were Christian Philip Gulley provides a profound picture of what the church could look like if it refocused on the priorities of Jesus.

Review Quotes

"Gulley puts the Christ back in Christian. This manifesto is a call not just to worship Jesus, but to follow him. It asks the daring question, "What if Christians actually began to take their Christ seriously?" The answer to that question could change the world." - Shane Claiborne, bestselling author of The Irresistible Revolution.
"Gulley puts the Christ back in Christian. This manifesto is a call not just to worship Jesus, but to follow him. It asks the daring question, "What if Christians actually began to take their Christ seriously?" The answer to that question could change the world." - Shane Claiborne, bestselling author of The Irresistible Revolution.
"Gulley has done a fine job pinpointing the flaws of the Christian churches and suggesting transformative paths to follow." - Spirituality and Practice
"Gulley's newest book is thoughtful, insightful and a joy to read." - Indianapolis Star
"[Gulley's] effortless and uncomplicated style allows for easy reading over some heavy material." - Library Journal
"No one raises provocative questions about Christianity more kindly than Philip Gulley. In an age of shouting, Gulley gently points out the flaws in the church while opening ways to practice Christian spirituality with greater integrity. If the church were as Philip Gulley envisions here, people would be knocking down our doors to experience God's love. " - Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity for the Rest of Us
"Why are thousands of ministers not saying what Philip Gulley says so well? His vision of Christianity is grounded, gripping, and filled with uncommon sense. He is building bridges instead of boundaries, and such wisdom is surely needed now." - Richard Rohr, O.F.M, author of Everything Belongs
"Like most realistic lovers, Gulley knows that as long as churches are composed of human beings, churches will be flawed. Yet this truth does not cloud his central vision: that Christianity is about following Jesus, not worshipping him, and that any body of disciples still willing to make his priorities their own can find deep springs of renewal for a credible and dynamic faith. The chapter titles alone are worth the price of this book. Whether you pray them by yourself or discuss them with others, they chart the distance between two very different ways of receiving God's good news." - Barbara Brown Taylor, author of Leaving Church and Altar in the World
"Filled with memorable, insightful and revealing stories. I recommend it." - Marcus Borg
"Philip Gulley separates wheat from chaff, experience from explanation and purpose from function in this book. He calls the Jesus message into a new vision - one that has both power and integrity." - John Shelby Spong, author of Eternal Life: A New Vision