What do you think?
Rate this book
Unparalleled: How Christianity's Uniqueness Makes It Compelling
How Christianity's Unmatched Truth Answers the Deepest Longings of Every Human Heart
To the popular objection Aren't all religions basically the same? pastor and author Jared Wilson answers with an enthusiastic No! Christianity is not merely one among many similar options. It is categorically different--and it's these differences that make it so compelling.
In Unparalleled , Wilson holds up the teachings of the Bible to the clear light of day, revealing how Christianity rises above every other religion and philosophy of the world, and how its unmatched truth answers the deepest longings of every human heart. He provides an overview of Christianity's key claims showing how, from top to bottom, it is distinct from all other competing ideologies, religious and secular. Christians will come away with a fresh sense of the truth of their faith and nonbelievers will be compelled to consider the relevant claims of Christianity in a drastically new light.
To the popular objection Aren't all religions basically the same? pastor and author Jared Wilson answers with an enthusiastic No! Christianity is not merely one among many similar options. It is categorically different--and it's these differences that make it so compelling.
In Unparalleled , Wilson holds up the teachings of the Bible to the clear light of day, revealing how Christianity rises above every other religion and philosophy of the world, and how its unmatched truth answers the deepest longings of every human heart. He provides an overview of Christianity's key claims showing how, from top to bottom, it is distinct from all other competing ideologies, religious and secular. Christians will come away with a fresh sense of the truth of their faith and nonbelievers will be compelled to consider the relevant claims of Christianity in a drastically new light.
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 3, 2016
32 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Jared C. Wilson
58 books944 followersJared C. Wilson is the Director of Content Strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Managing Editor of For The Church (ftc.co), and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books, including "Gospel Wakefulness," "The Prodigal Church," and, most recently, "The Imperfect Disciple." Wilson blogs regularly at gospeldrivenchurch.com, hosted by The Gospel Coalition and is a frequent speaker at conferences and churches around the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 19, 2022
Really solid information! Definitely a great book to dive more into comparing different world views and how Christianity differs from the rest.
My only qualm was that I felt the author was a bit distasteful in his “jabs” towards non-Christian’s/people who believed other religions. Jokes are one thing, but I thought some were blatant attacks and downright mean.
Still a book worth reading, though!
My only qualm was that I felt the author was a bit distasteful in his “jabs” towards non-Christian’s/people who believed other religions. Jokes are one thing, but I thought some were blatant attacks and downright mean.
Still a book worth reading, though!
July 5, 2017
I ordered this book on Jared Wilson's reputation. I first read his book Your Jesus is Too Safe many years ago and was a fast fan. Since then, I have followed his blog and read nearly all of his books. Admittedly, I did not know what to expect apart from Wilson's record for quality.
But how to describe Unparalleled: How Christianity's Uniqueness Makes it Compelling (Baker, 2016)? As of now, it is the #1 new release in "comparative religion" on Amazon. Wilson also described it as an apologetics book. Yet, Unparalleled defies easy categorization. As I read it, my first thought was that it belongs in a class with books such as CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, Chuck Colson's The Faith, and NT Wright's Simply Christian in that it is an "apologetic" for the Christian faith. Wilson lays out why Christianity is unique and, therefore, compelling.
Weaving together his gospel-saturated prose, careful thinking, and honest narrative examples, Wilson draws us into Christianity's unique story. Specifically, he addresses God's relationality, the beautiful necessity of the Trinity, the sanctity of all human life, as well as the exclusiveness of Christ's life, death, and resurrection to name just a few topics.
This book is part theology, part apologetics, and part storytelling, but it is all Wilson and that is a very good thing. Though I would compare unparalleled to other well-vetted Christian classics, this book is unique enough on its own to merit my emphatic recommendation to believers and non-believers alike. In a word, unparalleled is...well..."unparalleled."
I was provided a review copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review of this book. The viewpoints presented here are my own.
But how to describe Unparalleled: How Christianity's Uniqueness Makes it Compelling (Baker, 2016)? As of now, it is the #1 new release in "comparative religion" on Amazon. Wilson also described it as an apologetics book. Yet, Unparalleled defies easy categorization. As I read it, my first thought was that it belongs in a class with books such as CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, Chuck Colson's The Faith, and NT Wright's Simply Christian in that it is an "apologetic" for the Christian faith. Wilson lays out why Christianity is unique and, therefore, compelling.
Weaving together his gospel-saturated prose, careful thinking, and honest narrative examples, Wilson draws us into Christianity's unique story. Specifically, he addresses God's relationality, the beautiful necessity of the Trinity, the sanctity of all human life, as well as the exclusiveness of Christ's life, death, and resurrection to name just a few topics.
This book is part theology, part apologetics, and part storytelling, but it is all Wilson and that is a very good thing. Though I would compare unparalleled to other well-vetted Christian classics, this book is unique enough on its own to merit my emphatic recommendation to believers and non-believers alike. In a word, unparalleled is...well..."unparalleled."
I was provided a review copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review of this book. The viewpoints presented here are my own.
July 29, 2021
I’m a fan of everything I’ve read by Jared Wilson, and this is no different. In Unparalleled, he shows the immense support for the truth claims in Scripture, launching Christianity into a league of its own. There is no god like our God, nor any book like His Word. I particularly loved listening to the audiobook, read by Wilson himself. As a result, you can hear his intended inflections and the passion with which he believes everything he has written in this book.
July 13, 2017
Listened to this one on audible and was pleased with how clear and moving the book came across. Many of the claims Wilson presented were familiar to me, but he articulated them in fresh, convincing, and appealing ways. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who wishes to hear a clear explanation of Christianity, whether new to the faith, weather-worn, or even in direct opposition.
August 8, 2016
Summary: A book that makes the case for Christianity by proposing that the unique elements in Christian faith's account of God, humanity, Jesus, salvation, history, and the end make it both worthy and credible.
I love to tell the story;
'tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God's own holy Word.
-Katherine Hankey
I not only love telling the story of the Christian faith but listening to others tell it, even when they are speaking of things I've heard before. Reading Jared Wilson's account of the compelling character of the Christian faith in its "unparalleled" claims was "wonderfully sweet" and I commend reading such books even by "seasoned" Christians so we can better tell the story ourselves.
In a conversational style, Wilson recounts his own efforts to tell the story, and along the way, highlights how so often the good news that we share is a message most have never heard before and shatters their misconceptions. He speaks of a God who is great, utterly good and just, and yet who may forgive even the most heinous crimes. How can that be? He talks about the challenging matter of a God who is three and yet One, and whose relational character serves as the basis of all loving relationships.
He explores how the Christian view of humanity reveals us as both beautiful and yet broken reflections of the beautiful God. He opens up to us the uniqueness of Jesus, who had the audacity to claim to be God, lived a life that backed this claim, and then amazingly died and rose to triumph over evil and death. All this was to accomplish a salvation that rests utterly on what he has done, and not what we do, and propels the forgiven and beloved into global mission that speaks bring a message both universal and unparalleled that anticipates a new heaven and earth, a glorious future that transcends both our own lives, and life on earth as we know it.
I think there are several good uses for this book. One I've already alluded to is that it helps Christians, both young and old alike, to crystallize our message for this generation. A second use is as a more accessible version of a book like Mere Christianity to offer those exploring the faith and how it could possibly make sense to become a Christian. For both, this is not a book so much of apologetics as that upon which good apologetics is founded, a good explanation of basic Christian belief, or doctrine.
The only thing that mars this book in my opinion are the few places where the author feels compelled to speak critically of Christians outside his own (Baptist Reformed) tradition, taking shots at points at both emergent and mainline Christians. There are other places where this kind of engagement may be appropriate but it detracts from the "mere Christianity" feel of so much of the book that is its strength.
That said, I found myself enjoying the old, old story being told by a new generation of story-teller. No doubt, I will draw upon this book as I have chances to share that same story.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I love to tell the story;
'tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God's own holy Word.
-Katherine Hankey
I not only love telling the story of the Christian faith but listening to others tell it, even when they are speaking of things I've heard before. Reading Jared Wilson's account of the compelling character of the Christian faith in its "unparalleled" claims was "wonderfully sweet" and I commend reading such books even by "seasoned" Christians so we can better tell the story ourselves.
In a conversational style, Wilson recounts his own efforts to tell the story, and along the way, highlights how so often the good news that we share is a message most have never heard before and shatters their misconceptions. He speaks of a God who is great, utterly good and just, and yet who may forgive even the most heinous crimes. How can that be? He talks about the challenging matter of a God who is three and yet One, and whose relational character serves as the basis of all loving relationships.
He explores how the Christian view of humanity reveals us as both beautiful and yet broken reflections of the beautiful God. He opens up to us the uniqueness of Jesus, who had the audacity to claim to be God, lived a life that backed this claim, and then amazingly died and rose to triumph over evil and death. All this was to accomplish a salvation that rests utterly on what he has done, and not what we do, and propels the forgiven and beloved into global mission that speaks bring a message both universal and unparalleled that anticipates a new heaven and earth, a glorious future that transcends both our own lives, and life on earth as we know it.
I think there are several good uses for this book. One I've already alluded to is that it helps Christians, both young and old alike, to crystallize our message for this generation. A second use is as a more accessible version of a book like Mere Christianity to offer those exploring the faith and how it could possibly make sense to become a Christian. For both, this is not a book so much of apologetics as that upon which good apologetics is founded, a good explanation of basic Christian belief, or doctrine.
The only thing that mars this book in my opinion are the few places where the author feels compelled to speak critically of Christians outside his own (Baptist Reformed) tradition, taking shots at points at both emergent and mainline Christians. There are other places where this kind of engagement may be appropriate but it detracts from the "mere Christianity" feel of so much of the book that is its strength.
That said, I found myself enjoying the old, old story being told by a new generation of story-teller. No doubt, I will draw upon this book as I have chances to share that same story.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
June 15, 2020
In “Unparalleled” Jared C. Wilson sets out to accomplish exactly what the cover says; to show how Christianity’s uniqueness makes it compelling.
The book is made up of ten chapters, each addressing a specific topic springing from a “How….” question (i.e. “How the Christian God Is Not Like the Others”, “How the Reality of the Trinity Answers Deep Human Longing”, “How the Christian View of Humanity Is the Most Realistic”, “How Jesus Claimed To Be God”, ect).
Wilson does a good job compiling and explaining the topics. I do, however, think the best audience for this book is probably non-believers or young Christians, as the material has a very introductory feel to it. This is not a criticism, as I think it was his intent to start at ground level to illustrate what biblical Christianity is and what makes it unique.
It would be good for non-believers, as it provides an excellent outline of some of the things that are unique to the Christian worldview, shattering the “aren’t all religions basically the same” misconception. Likewise, I think this book could be particularly helpful to younger Christians looking to gain a clearer understanding of their faith, and its uniqueness/merits when compared to other ideologies.
Though that's the audience I feel it best suited for, obviously the book contains truths worth revisiting and pondering for any Christian. We should, after all, always be ready to answer why Christianity stands true in the face of so many other religious options. I found the chapter on the Trinity particularly helpful.
I enjoyed this book, and was thinking it would be the perfect book to share with others in order to start discussions, and maybe open doors of witness. I still think that’s the case, but I did hit upon a couple things that dampened my initial enthusiasm a bit.
Mostly it has to do with a few movie/celebrity mentions throughout. Whether its Roseanne Barr’s name included for a laugh (p.77), or describing a response of Jesus recorded in Mark 11 as being “Bourne-meets the Matrix level of rhetorical jujitsu” (p.121), or the couple other instances found throughout the book, they didn’t really land for me. The film Signs gets a mention as well, but it was used for illustration purposes, as opposed to just being present for humor, so I was less bothered by that than some of the others.
To highlight my point further, one of my main issues was the use of a discussion with Bono in chapter 8 regarding the difference between karma and grace (p.181-182). I’m not saying that Bono doesn’t have anything to contribute to the conversation, or that in the right context we couldn’t discuss what he says. But the fact of the matter is Bono’s quote had to be censored to even be included. To me, this book seems like a primer on the Christian faith, and I found myself questioning whether there wasn’t anyone who would have been better to cite here rather than a cursing Bono.
To be fair, the quote is cited as initially coming from a Christianity Today article, and that article was taken from the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas which is noted by Christianity Today to have “salty” language from both Bono and Assayas in it. So maybe my issue first falls to Christianity Today publishing an article promoting such a book from Bono.
I don’t mean to be overly critical, because I like the majority of what Wilson has to say, and am for the most part in agreement with him. I even enjoy that he has a sense of humor, and completely understand that it occasionally shows up in his writing. I’m just not sure all the references were appropriate within a book introducing the uniqueness of Christ and Christianity. I don’t think we should make a habit of using base things to illustrate holy things, and generally speaking, things from the entertainment world are definitely base things.
While I do disagree on this issue, I definitely think there’s room for grace, seeing his overall message and recognizing his intentions. After all, I'm sure an honest examination of myself would find instances of me failing to uphold the principle I'm stating here, so it's definitely not my intention to cast off on him. I would likely still recommend and share the book, but I would probably discuss some of my thoughts about the aforementioned issues when I did. Had those issues not been present I would have rated the book higher.
Below are a few quotes I liked from the book:
“By and large, people in my community have rejected organized religion and all that goes along with it, because they have determined that they can be “good people” just fine without it. And here’s the kicker: they can.
You can work on your positive energy output, on making sure the good side of your scales bears more weight than the bad side, all without the help of a church or a sacred book or any of the stuff that comes with an actual religion. You can be “spiritual but not religious”. And many try it. [….] They’ve figured out they don’t need the church to do any of those good things, and they’re pretty much right.
So it’s my job – and the job of every Christ following believer everywhere – to do the wonderful job of exploding all this tidiness with the most radical notion these folks have ever heard: trying to be good isn’t the point.” (p. 15)
"Thus, in every other religion where God is said to forgive, he has to do so by in some way compromising his holiness. In other words, he sort of tips the scale toward his mercy and away from his righteousness. He kind of "bends the rules". He sacrifices one part of himself in order that we might take advantage of another. But the God that Christians worship does not compromise one bit. He bends no rules. In fact, he punishes every single sin. Not a single sin throughout all of history slips through the cracks. So how can he forgive sinners like us while maintaining the perfection of his holiness? He puts our sin on Jesus Christ." (p. 30-31)
"In every other religion people seek God. Only in Christianity does God seek people." (p. 43)
“This is why Christians believe in the sacredness of human life – because God has made humankind his image-bearers, and whatever this means, it cannot mean because humankind is “useful”, but beautiful.” (p. 81)
“James Montgomery Boice said, “If you understand those two words – ‘but God’ – they will save your soul.” Two sweet words start the reversal of destiny. Two words that part the sea and roll back the darkness. Two little words like wings of a seraph, breaking through our tomb with a bright ray of light and lifting us up and through the spiritual aether, seating us in the “heavenly places” of Ephesians 2:6.” (p. 109)
“In the end, Christianity stands alone, not because it’s a “better religion” but because it speaks a better word. Christianity is unparalleled because Jesus Christ is.” (p. 229)
The book is made up of ten chapters, each addressing a specific topic springing from a “How….” question (i.e. “How the Christian God Is Not Like the Others”, “How the Reality of the Trinity Answers Deep Human Longing”, “How the Christian View of Humanity Is the Most Realistic”, “How Jesus Claimed To Be God”, ect).
Wilson does a good job compiling and explaining the topics. I do, however, think the best audience for this book is probably non-believers or young Christians, as the material has a very introductory feel to it. This is not a criticism, as I think it was his intent to start at ground level to illustrate what biblical Christianity is and what makes it unique.
It would be good for non-believers, as it provides an excellent outline of some of the things that are unique to the Christian worldview, shattering the “aren’t all religions basically the same” misconception. Likewise, I think this book could be particularly helpful to younger Christians looking to gain a clearer understanding of their faith, and its uniqueness/merits when compared to other ideologies.
Though that's the audience I feel it best suited for, obviously the book contains truths worth revisiting and pondering for any Christian. We should, after all, always be ready to answer why Christianity stands true in the face of so many other religious options. I found the chapter on the Trinity particularly helpful.
I enjoyed this book, and was thinking it would be the perfect book to share with others in order to start discussions, and maybe open doors of witness. I still think that’s the case, but I did hit upon a couple things that dampened my initial enthusiasm a bit.
Mostly it has to do with a few movie/celebrity mentions throughout. Whether its Roseanne Barr’s name included for a laugh (p.77), or describing a response of Jesus recorded in Mark 11 as being “Bourne-meets the Matrix level of rhetorical jujitsu” (p.121), or the couple other instances found throughout the book, they didn’t really land for me. The film Signs gets a mention as well, but it was used for illustration purposes, as opposed to just being present for humor, so I was less bothered by that than some of the others.
To highlight my point further, one of my main issues was the use of a discussion with Bono in chapter 8 regarding the difference between karma and grace (p.181-182). I’m not saying that Bono doesn’t have anything to contribute to the conversation, or that in the right context we couldn’t discuss what he says. But the fact of the matter is Bono’s quote had to be censored to even be included. To me, this book seems like a primer on the Christian faith, and I found myself questioning whether there wasn’t anyone who would have been better to cite here rather than a cursing Bono.
To be fair, the quote is cited as initially coming from a Christianity Today article, and that article was taken from the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas which is noted by Christianity Today to have “salty” language from both Bono and Assayas in it. So maybe my issue first falls to Christianity Today publishing an article promoting such a book from Bono.
I don’t mean to be overly critical, because I like the majority of what Wilson has to say, and am for the most part in agreement with him. I even enjoy that he has a sense of humor, and completely understand that it occasionally shows up in his writing. I’m just not sure all the references were appropriate within a book introducing the uniqueness of Christ and Christianity. I don’t think we should make a habit of using base things to illustrate holy things, and generally speaking, things from the entertainment world are definitely base things.
While I do disagree on this issue, I definitely think there’s room for grace, seeing his overall message and recognizing his intentions. After all, I'm sure an honest examination of myself would find instances of me failing to uphold the principle I'm stating here, so it's definitely not my intention to cast off on him. I would likely still recommend and share the book, but I would probably discuss some of my thoughts about the aforementioned issues when I did. Had those issues not been present I would have rated the book higher.
Below are a few quotes I liked from the book:
“By and large, people in my community have rejected organized religion and all that goes along with it, because they have determined that they can be “good people” just fine without it. And here’s the kicker: they can.
You can work on your positive energy output, on making sure the good side of your scales bears more weight than the bad side, all without the help of a church or a sacred book or any of the stuff that comes with an actual religion. You can be “spiritual but not religious”. And many try it. [….] They’ve figured out they don’t need the church to do any of those good things, and they’re pretty much right.
So it’s my job – and the job of every Christ following believer everywhere – to do the wonderful job of exploding all this tidiness with the most radical notion these folks have ever heard: trying to be good isn’t the point.” (p. 15)
"Thus, in every other religion where God is said to forgive, he has to do so by in some way compromising his holiness. In other words, he sort of tips the scale toward his mercy and away from his righteousness. He kind of "bends the rules". He sacrifices one part of himself in order that we might take advantage of another. But the God that Christians worship does not compromise one bit. He bends no rules. In fact, he punishes every single sin. Not a single sin throughout all of history slips through the cracks. So how can he forgive sinners like us while maintaining the perfection of his holiness? He puts our sin on Jesus Christ." (p. 30-31)
"In every other religion people seek God. Only in Christianity does God seek people." (p. 43)
“This is why Christians believe in the sacredness of human life – because God has made humankind his image-bearers, and whatever this means, it cannot mean because humankind is “useful”, but beautiful.” (p. 81)
“James Montgomery Boice said, “If you understand those two words – ‘but God’ – they will save your soul.” Two sweet words start the reversal of destiny. Two words that part the sea and roll back the darkness. Two little words like wings of a seraph, breaking through our tomb with a bright ray of light and lifting us up and through the spiritual aether, seating us in the “heavenly places” of Ephesians 2:6.” (p. 109)
“In the end, Christianity stands alone, not because it’s a “better religion” but because it speaks a better word. Christianity is unparalleled because Jesus Christ is.” (p. 229)
February 20, 2021
There are plenty of books that tackle this same topic, why Christianity is unique among the religions of the world. However, Wilson has an accessible approach that would be easily understood by both Christians and non-Christians. I think the specific topics he chose to focus on in this book represent the Jesus of the Bible and succinctly share the message of the gospel. I also enjoyed how he did not stray from touching on more controversial topics and how he summarized true Christian perspectives. The greatest strength of this book is the insistence that Christianity is not merely about a religion, it's all about Jesus and His grace. I'll definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
July 28, 2016
This book goes deep into the message of the Bible. It's solid theology but read a bit more like a textbook than a book for me.
http://betheproof.org/legacyliving/un...
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Baker books in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://betheproof.org/legacyliving/un...
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Baker books in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 20, 2017
This is a very good book even if it is about as counter-cultural as anything could be. It makes a great case of the uniqueness of Christianity compared to all other belief systems. cf. Chapter titles:
1) How the Christian God is Not Like the Others;
2) How the Reality of the Trinity Answers Deep Human Longing;
3) How the Christian View of Humanity is the Most Optimistic;
4) How the Christian View of Humanity is the Most Realistic;
5) How Jesus Claimed to Be God;
6) How Jesus Triumped Over Evil and Injustice;
7) How Jesus Defeated Death;
8) How the Christian View of Salvation is Unique and Incomparable;
9) How Christian Mission is Compelling and Contagious
10) How the Christian View of the End is Just the Beginning;
"In every other religion people seek God. Only in Christianity does God seek people."
"The gospel makes Christianity unique among all other religions and philosophical systems of
enlightenment approval or sucess because while every other system primarily teaches things to do, only Christianity teaches that the thing to do are done."
"Christians are saved because God saved them. We are his workmanship, not ours."
Doug Wilson: "Americans are about 6 percent of the world's population and we account for about 45 percent of the world's philanthropy. Among Americans, believers are far more generous than secularists. Among believers, Protestants are more liberal in giving that Catholics. Among Protestants, evangelicals are more generous than mainliners."
Many religions, like Islam for example, seek to thrive on conquest and power. Christianity grows best under hardship. There are more Christians in China today where free expression of faith is illegal, than the total population of the United States."
"It is completely illogical that any person or organization can claim to support justice and human rights while maintaining a woman's right to abort her baby. Human rights, it seems, only apply to a certain subset of humanity, not to all humans. ... The Bible calls us to the pro-life position based on the reality that all persons are made in the image of GOd, that God has created us equal, and therefore all life is precious. ... Human life is precious because God created it in his own image."
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
1) How the Christian God is Not Like the Others;
2) How the Reality of the Trinity Answers Deep Human Longing;
3) How the Christian View of Humanity is the Most Optimistic;
4) How the Christian View of Humanity is the Most Realistic;
5) How Jesus Claimed to Be God;
6) How Jesus Triumped Over Evil and Injustice;
7) How Jesus Defeated Death;
8) How the Christian View of Salvation is Unique and Incomparable;
9) How Christian Mission is Compelling and Contagious
10) How the Christian View of the End is Just the Beginning;
"In every other religion people seek God. Only in Christianity does God seek people."
"The gospel makes Christianity unique among all other religions and philosophical systems of
enlightenment approval or sucess because while every other system primarily teaches things to do, only Christianity teaches that the thing to do are done."
"Christians are saved because God saved them. We are his workmanship, not ours."
Doug Wilson: "Americans are about 6 percent of the world's population and we account for about 45 percent of the world's philanthropy. Among Americans, believers are far more generous than secularists. Among believers, Protestants are more liberal in giving that Catholics. Among Protestants, evangelicals are more generous than mainliners."
Many religions, like Islam for example, seek to thrive on conquest and power. Christianity grows best under hardship. There are more Christians in China today where free expression of faith is illegal, than the total population of the United States."
"It is completely illogical that any person or organization can claim to support justice and human rights while maintaining a woman's right to abort her baby. Human rights, it seems, only apply to a certain subset of humanity, not to all humans. ... The Bible calls us to the pro-life position based on the reality that all persons are made in the image of GOd, that God has created us equal, and therefore all life is precious. ... Human life is precious because God created it in his own image."
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
December 19, 2017
It's not often that a book holds the potential to be of equal interest to both Christians and non-Christians alike. Both groups would benefit greatly from this read. For the Christian, especially the one who doubts, questions, or wonders about the "why" behind their faith, the chapters Wilson includes offer the history of our faith, the unique nature of our faith, and the answers you're looking for. If you're the Christian raised in church and wondering whether or not you'd have become a Christian if you'd happened to be born in another country to another family, this book is for you. It's also for you if you are firm in your faith, but love going deeper theologically (in a way that doesn't read like a wordy, dry textbook).
If you're a non-Christian wondering what sets Christianity apart and why so many are willing to follow Christ, Unparalleled does a thorough job in telling you. I pray the Lord will use this book to open the eyes of many unbelievers.
The perhaps unintended benefit of this book for the Christian comes in the form of the personal anecdotes Wilson includes with each chapter, in which he as a pastor talks with unbelievers he meets in various circumstances. Our tendency can be to argue someone into belief, but Wilson's example of asking certain questions, listening to them, and gently showing them why they both need Jesus, is something to aspire to. I feel I finished with better tools in my tool belt in this regard.
If you're a non-Christian wondering what sets Christianity apart and why so many are willing to follow Christ, Unparalleled does a thorough job in telling you. I pray the Lord will use this book to open the eyes of many unbelievers.
The perhaps unintended benefit of this book for the Christian comes in the form of the personal anecdotes Wilson includes with each chapter, in which he as a pastor talks with unbelievers he meets in various circumstances. Our tendency can be to argue someone into belief, but Wilson's example of asking certain questions, listening to them, and gently showing them why they both need Jesus, is something to aspire to. I feel I finished with better tools in my tool belt in this regard.
November 20, 2017
The content itself is solid. I am a Bible-believing Christian and the book is about the things in the Bible which make Christianity unique, so my opinion should not be a surprise. It is what it says it is.
4 stars for two reasons:
1) Style - Wilson's writing was best when it didn't try to be populist or reference pop culture.
2) Citations (or lack thereof) - Wilson cites his quote sources, but most statistical assertions are made without reference. A few, especially regarding religious populations in different geographic areas, would be studies I would enjoy reading.
However, the strength of his thoughts on the place of good works in Christianity makes up for that. Chapter 9 was especially helpful to me.
I recommend, whether Christian or not.
If not, trust THIS source to say what we believe (and what the Bible says plainly). Though I caution you, it will challenge you. If you looking for a strawman, weak Christianity, pick up another book.
4 stars for two reasons:
1) Style - Wilson's writing was best when it didn't try to be populist or reference pop culture.
2) Citations (or lack thereof) - Wilson cites his quote sources, but most statistical assertions are made without reference. A few, especially regarding religious populations in different geographic areas, would be studies I would enjoy reading.
However, the strength of his thoughts on the place of good works in Christianity makes up for that. Chapter 9 was especially helpful to me.
I recommend, whether Christian or not.
If not, trust THIS source to say what we believe (and what the Bible says plainly). Though I caution you, it will challenge you. If you looking for a strawman, weak Christianity, pick up another book.
May 31, 2017
We live in a culture of moral relativity; truth is individual. No wonder, then, that one of the most common reasons people give for not being Christian is the belief that all religions are the same. In this book, Pastor Jared Wilson unpacks the many ways Christianity is unique and distinct (hence the title). This is basically a presentation of essential Christian doctrines packaged together to answer the question of why all religions aren’t the same. Wilson covers the Trinity, the resurrection, grace, how the cross satisfies both love and justice, and so on. He covers these topics without being too preachy, too legalistic, or too doctrinally dense or boring. I think it’s a solid read for both non-Christians and Christians. Recommended.
August 15, 2018
This book is very readable. For me, most of the content was not new, but it presented in a fresh new way. The author did a good job of working in anecdotes that were appropriate and not only kept up interest but illustrated points he wanted to make. He wrote in a way to appeal to contemporary readers without shying away from the truth. I probably expected more comparative details of different beliefs and a more traditional treatment of apologetics, but that way it didn't get bogged down with too many details. Instead, the focus was more on Jesus and how He was different from other false gods, prophets, and teachers. Who He was and is makes Christianity unique and compelling.
January 22, 2019
This is by far one of the most amazing books that I have ever read! As someone who just recently accepted Jesus, it seemed like I was more confused than fulfilled; not of Jesus but of what this new faith is. And this is what this book aims to do. It helps us understand what Christianity is and how it differs from all the other religions in the world. It gives you a new perspective on the Christian faith. I don’t want to dive in too deep just because it is so much better to read the book than this review. Word of advice, if you’re someone who has doubts, or needs “evidence”, or maybe someone who’s just trying to find meaning to life, I think that this book will definitely help you.
March 6, 2024
Enjoyed this one. Wilson is not providing a book on apologetic method or theory here. This book is really for the person who asks “Aren’t all religions the same?” As well as for the Christian person who might be thinking “I believe in Christ, but too often forget the uniqueness and specialness of my faith.” Christianity isn’t unique because our churches have steeples with pews inside. It isn’t unique because we believe in a higher power outside of ourselves. The uniqueness comes in many ways, but centrally it comes from a perfect sacrifice of eternal value through the only Begotten Son of God for the forgiveness of man’s sin. Which is a lot of words to say that Christianity is compelling.
July 1, 2024
This was a required book for my class at Liberty University, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was full of compelling reasons for Christianity, as well as several personal testimonies. I loved how Wilson incorporated so many of his own interactions with people in his day to day life as that truly is what ministry and the christian life is. It was an encouraging read as well as a book that really makes you think deeply about your theology. The goal is to get you to put your mind to work, I think Wilson does this really well. I recommend this for any christian seeking to grow in their understanding of their faith or for those seeking a better understanding of the Christian faith.
November 13, 2017
This book was a well written explanation of the uniqueness of Christianity. It was balanced, encouraging and sufficiently precise. While, I greatly enjoyed reading it, I cannot help wondering about who the intended audience was. The book seemed to be written to Christians, while occasionally including text to a seeker/sceptic. As a Christian, there was little in the book that was challenging, so the book seemed to be an apologetic trainer. Thus, while I think highly of the book, I don’t know who I would or should recommend it to.
February 18, 2018
This book is true to its title and explains how Christianity is different from all other religions, offering eternal life by way of God's grace, not whether your good works outweigh your sinful, bad actions. The last few chapters do a wonderful job of explaining the meaning of grace. The final chapter echoed the strength of faith I saw in my younger brother who died of cancer. This book brought back some of those awful memories but gave me even greater belief that my brother is with Jesus in a much better place.
August 5, 2017
I don't think Jared C Wilson can write a bad book! I have been so blessed by his teaching (podcasts), personal correspondence (he actually emailed me back a few times) and especially his books (Gospel Wakefulness and Gospel Deeps are outstanding). And now he has done it again. What make Christianity special and different? Ultimately it can be summed up in Christ, but Jared lays this out in a charming and clear way. Highest recommendation
March 7, 2022
Wilson spends 10 chapters talking about different dimensions of Christianity/the gospel (like the Trinity, salvation through faith) and compares them to other religions. He’s a conversational writer, so this was a fun book to read. He does a good job writing to a broad audience (believing and non-believing). Very helpful content, although if you’re looking for a book that’s really going to increase your understanding of different world religions, this book isn’t really geared for that.
July 12, 2017
This is the first book I've read by Wilson, but after listening to a number of conference lectures by him I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did. If I had one problem it was the number of pop culture references that I think will date the book fairly quickly. Otherwise, I think this is a clear, useful, compelling introduction to the Christian faith.
November 28, 2017
Are all religions the same? No. I knew that, but I hear so often that they are that I was starting to think they were mostly the same. Jared Wilson reminds us of the beautiful and rich ways that Jesus and Christianity have no parallels. This is a good book for non-Christians to see what is unique about Christianity and for Christians to be reminded.
February 26, 2018
Wonderful, popular level survey of Christianity’s unique claims and the soaring truths that make it ultimately our only hope. At times JCW taps into cinema and other pop culture to illustrate his points, which may date the book over time. His pastoral and personal encounters are the strongest additions.
October 13, 2021
“Christianity is unparalleled because Jesus Christ is unparalleled.” This is such a great apologetic book on the uniqueness of Christianity. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, especially the end portion where Wilson talks about what awaits us as believers, namely, Jesus himself. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
March 23, 2019
In today’s culture with so many people misguided and confused about what true Christianity is, this book provides clarity and shows how Christianity is truly unique in positive ways from all other faiths.
June 16, 2019
Apologetics that leads us to our knees in grateful worship. This book's target audience is everyone, religious or not, spiritual or not. It would be a first round pick to give to someone who exploring Christianity, or someone who's grown up in the church.
July 2, 2019
I would give it a 3.5. The book, although it felt promising at the start, just became a dumbed down version of mere christianity and did not have a very objective point of view for the book that it is.
January 31, 2020
Aren't all religions basically the same? No! Christianity is UNPARALLELED because Jesus Christ is UNPARALLELED! There is no one like Him. Wilson says you can live by the law, you can live in license, or you can live for Him as Lord. I choose the latter!
February 5, 2020
A little slow at first, but much better towards the second half of the book. I understand the authors point of this book however, it's a great evangelistic read and assurance of the Christian's faith and living hope in the risen Savior!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews