Is God a Christian? Creating a Community of Conversation by R. Kirby Godsey

by R. Kirby Godsey

In a world composed of almost seven billion people, about 2.2 billion of them claim to be Christian. And while Christianity is continuing to grow at a modest rate, other religions are growing at a faster pace. Some scholars
predict that Islam will overtake Christianity as the world s largest religion by the middle of the twenty-first century. Predictions aside, religions are competing for the world stage, and in the competition, Christians seem certain that God is on their side. Christians often think and behave as though God is a Christian.

This book is written to ask if that assumption is true and to foster a more open conversation about other world religions. The world has grown too small and the stakes for mankind have grown too high for any of us to engage our faith
as if our understanding of God represents the only way God s presence may be known in the world.

We need, more than ever before, to develop creative communities of conversation. Conversation does not begin with talking. It begins with listening. like Quakers of old, we need to gather in humility and honesty to face the meanness and evil that religion itself has sometimes heaped upon mankind. Godsey asserts that We should open ourselves to new spectrums of light that may emanate from faiths foreign to our own. Our high calling is to commit ourselves to building a better pathway for creating understanding and mutual respect among people of faith throughout the world.

Genres: Religion

Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

Reviews

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for a kinder, gentler world.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Dr. Godsey's forward thinking regarding Christianity. His first book, "When We Talk About God...Let's Be Honest", helped me feel less lonely in my rejection of organized religion. Dr. Godsey does not reject organized religion but his heart is open to the common thread in all the worlds great religions. I believe there are many pathways to God and Dr. Godsey's book eloquently exposes how all religions are failing to listen to each other in their efforts to prove themselves "right" and lay exclusive claim to God. Wish all people of faith could read and learn something from this book. Because I live among Christians, I wish they, especially, could learn something from Dr. Godsey's insight and loosen their grip on what they perceive to be the "truth" and realize all religions are imperfect and we stand to gain so much by listening to what others have to say.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why, but sometimes his personality turned me off a bit, but overall a really good book about the dangers of religious dogma, and how important it is for world religions to become more accepting of each other. I liked his language about the importance of relating, versus believing or behaving. I also appreciated his chapter on our addiction to lawful and unlawful violence - and the way “our power has advanced more rapidly than our moral understanding.”

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a call for adherents of the world's religions to engage in a serious effort to listen to one another. I believe this to be the single most important strategy to achieve world peace and human advancement. Some readers may be tempted to stop reading because they disagree with some of Godsey's thoughts, but this would be a mistake. A succinct summary of each of the major religions is a very helpful feature of the book.

[Angie Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

blasphemous. I refuse to finish reading this book.