What do you think?
Rate this book
Banned Questions about Christians
This latest book in the insightful and entertaining Banned Questions series addresses fifty questions about Christians that many of us have wondered regarding Hell, sprinkle vs dunk baptism, gay and lesbian issues in ministry, the inconsistencies of communion, the multitude of denominations, God's allowance of suffering in the world, and more. This is a great addition to your library as you (or your study group) ponder the questions many have wanted to ask and few were brave enough to answer.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2013
19 people want to read
About the author
Christian Piatt
18 books74 followersI once heard a surgeon tell an author that he had always wanted to write a novel.
"That's funny," said the author, "I've always wanted to perform brain surgery."
Writing as a hobby is one thing; writing as a passionate obsession is entirely another; writing professionally is equal parts megalomania and masochism.
I started out writing arts reviews for a local paper, moving on to features and a few op-ed pieces after a while with some other publications. I picked up a few pieces for some magazines, and from there, got my opportunity to do a weekly column in the paper, a regular column in a national magazine and my first two books with a national publisher in the relatively short span of eighteen months.
It took me a decade of preparation to get there, though.
I hooked up with a literary agent in 2007, who has been focusing on shopping a novel and a memoir for me. Meanwhile, I do articles for various websites and magazines, and I'm in the process of acting as a series co-editor for a string of young adult theology books for Chalice Press. I'm also working as volume editor on a couple of books in the series. The first two books in the series will be out in 2009.
I'd insert something cute and funny here, but then you'd only be disappointed if you ever met me and thought, "Hey, he's not cute and funny like his bio at all. He sucks." So I'll just leave it at that.
"That's funny," said the author, "I've always wanted to perform brain surgery."
Writing as a hobby is one thing; writing as a passionate obsession is entirely another; writing professionally is equal parts megalomania and masochism.
I started out writing arts reviews for a local paper, moving on to features and a few op-ed pieces after a while with some other publications. I picked up a few pieces for some magazines, and from there, got my opportunity to do a weekly column in the paper, a regular column in a national magazine and my first two books with a national publisher in the relatively short span of eighteen months.
It took me a decade of preparation to get there, though.
I hooked up with a literary agent in 2007, who has been focusing on shopping a novel and a memoir for me. Meanwhile, I do articles for various websites and magazines, and I'm in the process of acting as a series co-editor for a string of young adult theology books for Chalice Press. I'm also working as volume editor on a couple of books in the series. The first two books in the series will be out in 2009.
I'd insert something cute and funny here, but then you'd only be disappointed if you ever met me and thought, "Hey, he's not cute and funny like his bio at all. He sucks." So I'll just leave it at that.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 7, 2014
People have questions about Christians, and not every question is easily answered or comfortable to answer. But the questions remain! In this book, the third in the Banned Questions series edited by Christian Piatt, a collection of fifty questions that range from theology to social justice are answered briefly, but sufficiently enough to engender a conversation.
The format is simple. The question is posed and two to three individuals offer answers that are in the 250 word range. As you might expect these "answers" aren't meant to exhaust the possibilities. After all, how can you answer the question why there are so many denominations in less than 250 words times three? Following the answers one will find a set of scripture references to consult,followed by suggested sources and then questions for further discussion.
The respondents are mostly young -- GenX types -- and Protestant of some type. You might say that they have an "emergent" tenor to them, but then the question of what makes one emergent appears in the book. Most are progressive, even if evangelical in their designated communities. Thus, you won't find any one arguing that women shouldn't have leadership in the church. As for the LGBT question, when the question is raised the respondents offer progressive answers. Perhaps it is due to the ethos out of which they emerge, many of the responses have an edge to them, even a touch of snarkiness. That's not a bad thing, of course, it's just that you have to be ready for it.
As with the prior two contributions to the series, this is the kind of book that can be used as a type of devotional exercise -- a chapter a day (not the way I read it). It has possibilities for small group conversations, especially the Pub Theology type. Take a question, hear the responses, check the scriptures and then formulate your own responses. One question, one evening's conversation starter.
There are a couple of quirks about the book that puzzled me. Considering that the majority of the respondents are mainline Protestants, I thought it odd that the scripture references were to the NIV rather than the NRSV or the Common English Bible. And in a few sections the suggested resources seemed like an odd choice. The one that stood out to me, in large part because I just published a book on the Holy Spirit, relates to the recommended book on the question of the Holy Spirit. Why Millard Erickson's book on Christian Theology? It's not that my book should have been referenced as it came out right before this one, but there are a myriad of great resources from Amos Yong (a Pentecostal) to Jurgen Moltmann that would be more appropriate. But that's just one person's opinion!
So, if you're looking for a book to use to start a conversation about Christians -- check this out!
The format is simple. The question is posed and two to three individuals offer answers that are in the 250 word range. As you might expect these "answers" aren't meant to exhaust the possibilities. After all, how can you answer the question why there are so many denominations in less than 250 words times three? Following the answers one will find a set of scripture references to consult,followed by suggested sources and then questions for further discussion.
The respondents are mostly young -- GenX types -- and Protestant of some type. You might say that they have an "emergent" tenor to them, but then the question of what makes one emergent appears in the book. Most are progressive, even if evangelical in their designated communities. Thus, you won't find any one arguing that women shouldn't have leadership in the church. As for the LGBT question, when the question is raised the respondents offer progressive answers. Perhaps it is due to the ethos out of which they emerge, many of the responses have an edge to them, even a touch of snarkiness. That's not a bad thing, of course, it's just that you have to be ready for it.
As with the prior two contributions to the series, this is the kind of book that can be used as a type of devotional exercise -- a chapter a day (not the way I read it). It has possibilities for small group conversations, especially the Pub Theology type. Take a question, hear the responses, check the scriptures and then formulate your own responses. One question, one evening's conversation starter.
There are a couple of quirks about the book that puzzled me. Considering that the majority of the respondents are mainline Protestants, I thought it odd that the scripture references were to the NIV rather than the NRSV or the Common English Bible. And in a few sections the suggested resources seemed like an odd choice. The one that stood out to me, in large part because I just published a book on the Holy Spirit, relates to the recommended book on the question of the Holy Spirit. Why Millard Erickson's book on Christian Theology? It's not that my book should have been referenced as it came out right before this one, but there are a myriad of great resources from Amos Yong (a Pentecostal) to Jurgen Moltmann that would be more appropriate. But that's just one person's opinion!
So, if you're looking for a book to use to start a conversation about Christians -- check this out!
Displaying 1 of 1 review