A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed and the Disillusioned
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Dubbed 'a heroic gate-crasher' by New York Times bestselling author Glennon Doyle, Brian McLaren explores reasons to leave or stay within the church and if so, how ... Do I Stay Christian? addresses in public the powerful question that surprising numbers of people - including pastors, priests and other religious leaders - are asking in private. Picking up where Brian's warmly received Faith After Doubt (2021) leaves off, Do I Stay Christian? is not McLaren's attempt to persuade Christians to dig in their heels or run for the exit. Instead, he combines his own experience with that of thousands of people who have confided in him over the years to help readers make a responsible, honest, ethical decision about their religious identity. There is a way to say both yes and no to the question of staying Christian, McLaren says, by shifting the focus from whether we stay Christian to how we stay human. If Do I Stay Christian? is the question you're asking - or if it's a question that someone you love is asking - this is the book you've been waiting for. 'Brian's new book on remaining Christian knocks it out of the ballpark in terms of framing and naming the questions. I cannot stop reading it. Thank you, Brian!' Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, author of The Universal Christ
Reviews with the most likes.
This book was more than I was expecting. It does a great job describing the reasons one might want to abandon Christianity, without pulling any punches. It does an alright job at giving some reasons to stay.
What I wasn't expecting was the inspiring message in the third section, describing the possibility of a more open, all-encompassing view of how we could live, whether as Christians or not.
The book doesn't necessarily deliver mind-blowing revelations in every chapter, and some passages flow better than others, but the author was able to find ways to clearly articulate feelings that I've felt for a while. I found myself remarking at, and making note of several lines per chapter, which is pretty good as far as I'm concerned!
I only wish there was a version of this book written for an audience that didn't grow up in the Christian church, so that I can share this vision of the world with my friends from a more secular background!