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The Great Reckoning: Surviving a Christianity That Looks Nothing Like Christ
What do we do when the church looks nothing like Jesus?
Many followers of Jesus feel disillusioned by a broken religion—one that loves political power, promises prosperity, and feeds on fear. We are desperately trying to rationalize how a loving God can be connected to unloving churches, institutions, and people. We can no longer deny that our version of Christianity is not just imperfect but has been coopted to inflict violence, racism, abuse, hate, and even death. The question before many Christians is no longer how their faith can survive within a secular culture. It’s how their faith can survive Christianity itself.
In The Great Reckoning, writer Stephen Mattson writes out of the rubble of the failed American faith. Instead of doomsaying or casting aspersions, however, Mattson offers hope for seekers looking for inspiration, solace for Christians fed up with an unsatisfying religion, and clarity for those sifting through the remains. The Great Reckoning is a clear-eyed yet tender critique of where we’ve gone wrong, and a guide away from the culture wars and toward the life of Jesus.
Rather than further immersing ourselves in Christendom, what if we started rethinking what it means to be a Christian in the first place? What if Christians shed the hopes and dreams of Christianity and turned instead of the Christ at the center of our faith?
Consider this a dispatch from the wreckage of American cultural Christianity, and an ode to the Jesus-looking faith we seek.
Many followers of Jesus feel disillusioned by a broken religion—one that loves political power, promises prosperity, and feeds on fear. We are desperately trying to rationalize how a loving God can be connected to unloving churches, institutions, and people. We can no longer deny that our version of Christianity is not just imperfect but has been coopted to inflict violence, racism, abuse, hate, and even death. The question before many Christians is no longer how their faith can survive within a secular culture. It’s how their faith can survive Christianity itself.
In The Great Reckoning, writer Stephen Mattson writes out of the rubble of the failed American faith. Instead of doomsaying or casting aspersions, however, Mattson offers hope for seekers looking for inspiration, solace for Christians fed up with an unsatisfying religion, and clarity for those sifting through the remains. The Great Reckoning is a clear-eyed yet tender critique of where we’ve gone wrong, and a guide away from the culture wars and toward the life of Jesus.
Rather than further immersing ourselves in Christendom, what if we started rethinking what it means to be a Christian in the first place? What if Christians shed the hopes and dreams of Christianity and turned instead of the Christ at the center of our faith?
Consider this a dispatch from the wreckage of American cultural Christianity, and an ode to the Jesus-looking faith we seek.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2018
49 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 15, 2018
Thanks to Herald Press for this ARC. Totally engaging, potentially revolutionary work. Mattson gets to the bare bones of the Gospel calling Christfollowers to break ties with a misdirected Christendom and return their allegiance to the One who holds all things together—Jesus. The author does not shy away from controversy, naming names and radically calling for change in the church. Rightfully, he advocates for an end to the unholy marriage of Christendom and politics, which too often manifests itself in the US as white, male and American to the detriment of other races, women, and other nationalities. This book will resonate with masses of disenchanted believers just as it will, I hope, challenge and discomfort those of us who have become apathetic in our faith and accustomed to perceived spiritual superiority. All I can say is amen, amen and amen.
January 5, 2020
I felt like someone crawled inside my brain and wrote my manifesto. Mattson says so well so many things I’ve been thinking and feeling. I hope and pray for a great reckoning in western Christianity where individuals and the church collectively can come to realize the truths that he outlines in this book. If we can remember that it’s about Christ, and that Christ is about radical, sacrificial love and peace, then that changes everything. And if we view every person on earth as a human, created in God’s image and loved by God, our natural reaction should be to love them too.
Christianity has lost its way many times, and so often we rationalize evil behaviors. I love how Mattson writes: “But Christians have always had the example of Jesus as a standard to live by, despite the particularities of their own historical context. Cultural idiosyncrasies of a time period or geographic region of the world are a poor excuse for sinful actions.”
I found it refreshing to read such sanity in a world that seems to have gone mad, and I found it very personally challenging.
Pick it up with an open mind and open heart.
Christianity has lost its way many times, and so often we rationalize evil behaviors. I love how Mattson writes: “But Christians have always had the example of Jesus as a standard to live by, despite the particularities of their own historical context. Cultural idiosyncrasies of a time period or geographic region of the world are a poor excuse for sinful actions.”
I found it refreshing to read such sanity in a world that seems to have gone mad, and I found it very personally challenging.
Pick it up with an open mind and open heart.
October 23, 2018
Could it be that Christ is missing from much of what passes for Christianity today? Have many who say they are Christians abandoned the very virtues of Jesus they claim to follow? (Loc 78/2174)
With penetrating insights like these, Mattson takes a look at what Christianity has become in the United States.
I like how he distinguishes Christendom and Christ followers. Christendom, especially as seen in the United States, depends on carnal power. That is not the case with a true follower of Christ. The gospel that Christendom promotes is one of comfort and does not address the realities of what is happening in the world. True followers of Christ seek to love and help the poor and needy and even their enemies.
Mattson presents some concepts that may not be welcome among white evangelicals. With respect to the government, for example, he asks where our true allegiance should lie. Christians who see political power as a means of furthering their faith may be sacrificing the Kingdom of God for the kingdom of mortals. He writes about war and guns and questions how evangelicals can promote those concepts, abandoning Jesus' example of nonviolence. He writes of the current president and wonders how evangelicals can ignore his sinful behavior for the sake of political power.
And that's just a little bit of how Mattson challenges American Christians. Some will hate this book. Others will be challenged by it and look again at their faith and actions in the light of the example of Jesus.
This is a good book for followers of Jesus who have become disillusioned with what Christianity has become in the United States. You may not agree with everything he says. I didn't. But you will be encouraged to know you are not crazy to think Christendom in the U.S. has gone off from truly following the example of Christ.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
With penetrating insights like these, Mattson takes a look at what Christianity has become in the United States.
I like how he distinguishes Christendom and Christ followers. Christendom, especially as seen in the United States, depends on carnal power. That is not the case with a true follower of Christ. The gospel that Christendom promotes is one of comfort and does not address the realities of what is happening in the world. True followers of Christ seek to love and help the poor and needy and even their enemies.
Mattson presents some concepts that may not be welcome among white evangelicals. With respect to the government, for example, he asks where our true allegiance should lie. Christians who see political power as a means of furthering their faith may be sacrificing the Kingdom of God for the kingdom of mortals. He writes about war and guns and questions how evangelicals can promote those concepts, abandoning Jesus' example of nonviolence. He writes of the current president and wonders how evangelicals can ignore his sinful behavior for the sake of political power.
And that's just a little bit of how Mattson challenges American Christians. Some will hate this book. Others will be challenged by it and look again at their faith and actions in the light of the example of Jesus.
This is a good book for followers of Jesus who have become disillusioned with what Christianity has become in the United States. You may not agree with everything he says. I didn't. But you will be encouraged to know you are not crazy to think Christendom in the U.S. has gone off from truly following the example of Christ.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
September 4, 2021
Much of this is simply common sense, and (as with most books about ‘evangelical’ Christianity) it is primarily aimed at believers who have American backgrounds. But I hoped as I started it that I would find within another piece of the puzzle that has become my faith, and I did find it, in chapter 9, the Christian Virtue of Change. It’s not only okay that my understanding of God and faith and pretty much everything has been evolving so much in recent years, it’s healthy. We’re not *meant* to stay at the same place where we came in. That reminder was worth reading the book.
June 27, 2024
Such a relief to hear it said out loud. It’s been so hard trying to live as a Christian when I also believe that people of other faiths, or LGBTQ+ people, or women who have had abortions are NOT automatically going to “hell.” It’s a relief to know that I’m not alone and that my view of Christ’s commandment to “love others as I have loved you,” may not be as heretical as it seems.
December 26, 2021
This book helped me to realize that there are other Christians out there who are struggling with how the church is focusing on politics more than it is focusing on Christ. Mattson explains the problem and offers a solution. Well worth reading if this is your predicament.
November 12, 2018
A book designed to assist those disaffected and disillusioned by American Evangelicalism maintain faith in Jesus.
The author's personal story undergirds his exhortations, having been raised in a "fundamentalist" Evangelical religious environment. He explores the difficulties and challenges present in Evangelicalism, believing that it is experiencing a great reckoning as a result of its heritage in excessive nationalism, racism, misogyny, and the like. He encourages Christians to consider themselves first and foremost of the Kingdom of God, to seek to serve Jesus in all things, how to live faithfully despite having experienced hurt and pain, how to proclaim Jesus despite the difficulties, and being willing to change with integrity.
Many of the exhortations will resonate today. Yet it should be noted how the author has landed squarely on the side of culture on almost every major hot-button societal issue of the day, and baptizes all of it. Yes, there is a toxic legacy in a lot of Evangelicalism on many issues...but not all issues. Yes, many of the issues could have been handled in a more loving and Christlike way.
These kinds of critiques are necessary, but those who offer them must also show relevant concern about being too compromised / accommodative to culture, especially as it relates to sexual ethics.
**--galley received as part of early review program
The author's personal story undergirds his exhortations, having been raised in a "fundamentalist" Evangelical religious environment. He explores the difficulties and challenges present in Evangelicalism, believing that it is experiencing a great reckoning as a result of its heritage in excessive nationalism, racism, misogyny, and the like. He encourages Christians to consider themselves first and foremost of the Kingdom of God, to seek to serve Jesus in all things, how to live faithfully despite having experienced hurt and pain, how to proclaim Jesus despite the difficulties, and being willing to change with integrity.
Many of the exhortations will resonate today. Yet it should be noted how the author has landed squarely on the side of culture on almost every major hot-button societal issue of the day, and baptizes all of it. Yes, there is a toxic legacy in a lot of Evangelicalism on many issues...but not all issues. Yes, many of the issues could have been handled in a more loving and Christlike way.
These kinds of critiques are necessary, but those who offer them must also show relevant concern about being too compromised / accommodative to culture, especially as it relates to sexual ethics.
**--galley received as part of early review program
January 2, 2020
Early in the book, Mattson writes, "Instead of seeing our world through the lens of Christ, we saw our Christ through the lens of our own religious worldview." This acknowledgement of the current culture sets the stage for his book, and I was moved by the way Mattson opened my eyes to many issues in modern Christianity. The author's words are used to guide readers back to the center of our faith in Christ, and he includes practical applications along the way. This book is about " finding hope and restoration through Jesus, and discovering how that can be done in a practical way."
When describing who this book is for, Mattson said, "In today's partisan climate, people might wonder if this book caters to Democrats or Republicans, or if it's attempting to attract theological progressives or traditionalists. Frankly, The Great Reckoning is meant to confront these assumptions altogether, navigating through these constant influences that insert agendas into Christianity. The goal is to decipher what Christ meant his followers to be about by studying who we have become."
If that quote sounds good to you, as it did to me, I would highly recommend that you buy this book!
When describing who this book is for, Mattson said, "In today's partisan climate, people might wonder if this book caters to Democrats or Republicans, or if it's attempting to attract theological progressives or traditionalists. Frankly, The Great Reckoning is meant to confront these assumptions altogether, navigating through these constant influences that insert agendas into Christianity. The goal is to decipher what Christ meant his followers to be about by studying who we have become."
If that quote sounds good to you, as it did to me, I would highly recommend that you buy this book!
August 19, 2019
I'm convinced I was divinely lead to read this book through a series of unlikely "coincidences." It spoke to the way I've been feeling about Christianity. The author explains the difference between Christianity (following Christ) and Christendom. The trend of Christendom toward usurping the political arena for power, exclusion and nationalism has depressed and discouraged me. It was enormously helpful to realize I'm not alone. The author was steeped in traditional "Christianity" from a young age and explains how religion led him astray in his thinking/understanding and the revelation that he should follow Christ, not religion or Christendom led him back to Christ. The book is validation to those of us who believe in a radical, loving way to truly follow Christ (not religion) and it is a call to peaceful activism. It was immensely helpful to me.
September 3, 2024
A refreshing reminder to Christ-followers what that looks like, as opposed to what so many churches have put in place.
I think John Pavlovitz said it best in his review,” Stephen Mattson is doing important work here. He is entering the cumbersome layers of time, tradition, and dogma, and excavating Jesus from beneath them. He doesn’t deny the real ugliness of Christianity’s recent past, but he uncovers the more beautiful truth of what it first meant to follow Jesus/and he does so with wisdom, honesty, and compassion. The great reckoning will be a wonderful companion for those on the journey of losing religion and finding faith.”
I think John Pavlovitz said it best in his review,” Stephen Mattson is doing important work here. He is entering the cumbersome layers of time, tradition, and dogma, and excavating Jesus from beneath them. He doesn’t deny the real ugliness of Christianity’s recent past, but he uncovers the more beautiful truth of what it first meant to follow Jesus/and he does so with wisdom, honesty, and compassion. The great reckoning will be a wonderful companion for those on the journey of losing religion and finding faith.”
March 25, 2019
Being open to change - healthy, life-giving, and positive change - is essential to surviving the marathon of following Jesus. Stephen Mattson stresses the importance of moving about in our faith particularly from an insular one to a less biased one. We need not be afraid that recognizing complexity will negate believing in truth nor will a diversity of opinion weaken the gospel. Let's free ourselves and others to think, listen, and love; because, to be a Christian is to bring about life, not snuff it out.
August 7, 2020
If you are weary, disillusioned, heartbroken, and just sad, I highly recommend this book. It’s not a cure for the hate and division in the Church or our nation, but it is good for the soul. The Christendom so overwhelming in America is not of Christ. Mattson will help you understand our country’s and the Church’s failings that brought about Christendom. It will remind you that all is not lost, that good people do good works everyday, and all things should be done in love.
November 13, 2023
The book touches on many of the reasons why people like Jesus' message but hate the church. The one thing I found lacking is specifics. When I was hoping Mattson would go into specifics or roll out some deep dive survey, he would resort to "many feel" this way or "too many churches." The generalizations dampened my overall experience with the book. Still, I found the book to be engaging and it reflected my own experience of being disenchanted with religion.
June 21, 2019
It's not often you find a book that expresses your feelings as well as Stephen Mattson goes in the Great Reckoning. He identifies the failings of modern Christianity and the reasons behind them. However he also identifies the good things that are happening in the body of Christ. It resonates. Highly recommended for anyone who is disillusioned. There is hope.
November 7, 2024
it hits hard at the false gospels of power and theocracy to show the true Gospel is love
God is love and always was. Jesus and the Father were always one
Even during the time humans rejected God and his Son Jesus the Messiah through the cross evil men killed him but God raised him up to show his love.
God is love and always was. Jesus and the Father were always one
Even during the time humans rejected God and his Son Jesus the Messiah through the cross evil men killed him but God raised him up to show his love.
September 1, 2019
I have long felt the need for a book such as this. I imagine the people who really need to read a book like this will not read it even though it speaks a great deal of truth. It seems that Christian morality has been compromised by loyalty to political parties.
October 7, 2023
A decent book but not very impressionable. Finished it a week before this review and don't recall much but there was at least one memorable quote : " Using the Bible for ones own purposes is one tactic to avoid modeling the life of Christ; using theology to bypass Love is another."
April 22, 2019
This was so good I kept copying paragraphs and quotes to share on my social media pages. Church, Evangelicals and the Christian Right are often in opposition to Christ's teachings.
October 29, 2019
A book that needed to be written. Some marvelous insights and some not particularly enlightening but I’m glad to have read this book.
January 29, 2022
Finally, someone make s sense!!!
It was an explanation I have been struggling with for years! If you are questioning your spiritual feelings... Here is the man.
It was an explanation I have been struggling with for years! If you are questioning your spiritual feelings... Here is the man.
April 14, 2022
Excellent.
December 19, 2022
A Necessary Read
I have struggled for years to find my place in Christianity. It's hard to find voices that understand my frustrations. This book speaks my language, and I don't say that lightly. I am glad that it was written and I recommend it to those who are struggling to find their place too.
I have struggled for years to find my place in Christianity. It's hard to find voices that understand my frustrations. This book speaks my language, and I don't say that lightly. I am glad that it was written and I recommend it to those who are struggling to find their place too.
February 7, 2021
A really good book for those dismayed by or looking for a quick explainer of what has happened in certain parts of American Christianity over the past few years and how to move from cultural complanceny to authentic focus on Jesus. While I don't agree on every point, this is a good start for anyone who wants to get past the current predominant paradigm within American evangelicalism.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews