Think: Pagan Christianity

June 10, 2010 | Books, Faith: Knowing Christ

I first heard the term pagan Christianity at the Book Expo in Dallas, TX. Mary DeMuth, Donald Miller, and several other authors and speakers were talking about faith in today’s world.

When Donald Miller began to talk about pagan Christianity, I was intruiged. I wanted to know more.

I struggle sometimes with those who throw out trendy phrases, or who point their fingers at yesterday’s faith, forgetting that it was forged by thinkers and doubters and men and women of courage just like them who questioned status quo to find truth they could live with. This sometimes happens when we get into discussions about faith, and what’s wrong with it or what needs fixed.

Because of my respect for Miller, I wasn’t sure if this phrase fell into that category. Was it something cool, something that makes for great conversation, or was it a topic that held great weight?

So when I saw that George Barna and Frank Viola’s book of the same title, I picked it up.

Pagan Christianity is not a book you can read through while eating a bagel and a smoothie.

It’s a book that you read with a pen in hand, a Bible nearby, and a chapter or less at a time. I’ve stopped many times as I read this book, glasses in my hand, to think through a paragraph or even a line.

 Readers on Amazon are at opposite ends when reviewing it. They love it, or they don’t.

I think I like it, a lot. Do I buy every word? I’m not so sure, but what I do know is that it’s thought provoking. Would Jesus recognize His church, the New Testament church, in today’s Christian society?

For me, I think that question in itself limits the church to America, which is only a small segment of a worldwide body of people who call themselves believers.

Those in other countries who are persecuted and suffer for their faith very much resemble the disciples and church of the NT.

Those who tie faith into prosperity and who live in safety and security and whose prayers are wrapped around getting more stuff, not so much.

This is the blurb about PC: Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we “dress up” for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices.

I recommend Pagan Christianity because there is a lot of great information that challenges me as a follower of Christ. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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1. Kimberly says:
   

   I’ll put it on my list. It sounds like something I’d dig into. I’m trying really hard to read “The Third Jesus” by Deepak Chopra. He writing is compelling in the way that makes one really think about their faith! I believe we, as a body of believers, need to be challenged in our faith to not become complacent in our beliefs and practices.

   Thanks for sharing Suzie.

   June 11th, 2010 at 9:20 am
2. Amy Aldridge Sanford says:
   

   Suzie, I’ll put this book on my summer read list. Thanks for the recommendation!

   June 17th, 2010 at 9:13 am
3. sally apokedak says:
   

   I came over from Writers View, and, of course was struck by the title of this book. I’d never heard of it.

   But the fact that they’d claim this was the “first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices” makes me wonder if the authors are not educated or not honest.

   June 17th, 2010 at 9:46 am

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