I have just finished reading a book called “Losing My Religion” by Gordon Lynch and I would strongly recommend it to anyone stuggling with evangelicalism. The book explores what its like to feel fed up with the way evangelicals see faith, and goes on to talk about what to do next.
As someone who would say the basis of their faith is evangelical, I found the book to be helpful.
Just recently, maybe because I’ve just reached 40??, I have found great distaste in what we do at church. The way we over simplify faith and suggest to any that life’s real problems have an ‘abc’ answer to them.
Life is complex and even more so if you try and fit God into your emotions and feelings. Its great to have God there but sometimes her presence feels uncomfortable. I can often exist with God whilst also avoiding letting it really mean anything.
I want to experience God not be able to explain him to someone in short simple, and unhelpful ways. I don’t want a book by Nicky Gumble that answers all of lifes problems in less than 300 pages and I don’t want to get it wrong, because if I do, it suggests I know what is right.
Loose my religion – yes. Experience God – yes. How…refreshingly I don’t know.
Andrew Cook….40 today!
Couldn’t agree more on the Nicky Gumbel thing. I mean, he’s a nice enough bloke, but being Christian is _not_ the same thing as having a grasp of basic theology…
I’d like to read the book.
Great song by REM with the same title too.
I’ll try to find this book – sounds interesting. I strongly agree with you about being dissatisfied with 2-minute, ‘cut and dried’, soundbite answers to my questions.
Happy birthday!
Where is the book available? I can’t find it on Amazon…
Try Amazon and the author – Gordon Lynch ..it should come up then!
Click here