Questions for Christians - by John Morreall (Hardcover)

About the Book

From the gender of God to what happens when we die, Questions for Christians digs into some of the thorniest questions of the Christian faith-questions that many people would rather ignore. Drawing on sources both ancient and modern, John Morreall explores issues while identif...

Book Synopsis

From the gender of God to what happens when we die, Questions for Christians digs into some of the thorniest questions of the Christian faith--questions that many people would rather ignore. Drawing on sources both ancient and modern, John Morreall explores issues while identifying points of controversy. Some of the answers are surprising, while others provide a more complete understanding of common beliefs.

Review Quotes

By the device of articulating apparently simple or even naive questions of the Christian tradition and then answering them in a way which is informed without being academic--and radical in the sense of getting back to basics--Morreall has written a lively book that will inform and challenge those seeking to discover whether Jesus has good news for today. While he offers many points of sharp critique, he also helps the reader find hope in traditional structures. He also offers, in his ten tenets, a metric for measuring spiritual authenticity which is both astringent and insightful. Thus he provides a prophetic critique for our time and invites his readers to the kind of new life that flows from truthful interpretation and simple response to Jesus' life and witness.

Dr. Morreall questions everything about Christianity, and he comes up with many great answers. One of his best ... surrounds his list of 'Ten Tenets.' First, John asks the questions, then he summarizes the core teachings of Jesus. It's a fine list.

In a world where many people think they have to search on their own for an ultimate meaning of life, John Morreall offers a compelling alternative: remain Christian but understand Christianity through contemporary, postmodern eyes. While his scholarship is impressive, Morreall writes in a simple, easy flowing style, one readily accessible to virtually every undergraduate today. He covers a wide range of topics, both creatively and judiciously. . . . He also covers a broad spectrum of theologies and theologians, from Justin Martyr to Rosemary Radford Ruether. He is not afraid to debunk commonly held beliefs--that faith is inherently good, that God is male, that Jesus Christ is literally the Son of God, that we are souls encased in bodies, and that people are dwelling in heaven right now. The book insists it is not only legitimate but essential to ask questions, and faith without questions is not really faith. Students and questioning Christians of all ages need to read this book.

John Morreall explores a large range of questions about the meaning of Christian faith. Most important, he mandates the appropriateness of asking questions and exploring the diversity of views in Christianity. This is a useful book for Christians seeking better understanding of their religion, what it means and what it need not mean.

John Morreall's new book is a re-examination of Christian doctrine from a critical, historical-political perspective that aims at revealing how Greek-speaking theologians and Roman rulers distorted the message of Jesus, and how this distortion was continued, rather than corrected, by succeeding generations of Christians. We have a book that will provoke diverse intellectual and theological reactions and discussions, which is always much valued in theological scholarship.

Morreall examines nearly every facet of Christian belief, from the authority and interpretation of scripture to the nature of the church, with chapters examining Christology, the Trinity, the nature of God, the afterlife, and even the existence of angels and demons and whether angels have wings and demons have horns. . . .The premise is sound.

Questions for Christians is one of the most refreshing books I have read in a long time! In this celebration of a thinking faith, the [answers to] perplexing questions continually lead back to the 'ten tenets' of Jesus's life and teaching. While you'll appreciate John Morreall's clear and knowledgeable answers, it's his simple wisdom that will bring tears to your eyes. How did the church ever manage to drift so far from Jesus's message of radical compassion?

Some of us were told as youngsters that asking too many questions is a bad habit, possibly even bordering on the sinful. John Morreall takes the opposite, and I think correct position, that questioning is integral to the religious life, indeed to being human. In this readable book he covers most of the questions that many Christians have wanted to ask but were hesitant to do so, and his answers are balanced and fair. A book for thoughtful people of all ages.

About the Author

John Morreall is professor of religious studies and chair of the department at the College of William and Mary. He has published widely, including The Religion Toolkit: A Complete Guide to Religious Studies.