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Faith Hope Love: The Essentials of Christianity for the Curious, Confused, and Skeptical
What is at the heart of this diverse, messy, and sometimes horribly misrepresented faith called Christianity? Most attempts to summarize the Christian faith are either overwhelmingly detailed or skewed to a specific denomination, but Faith Hope Love offers an updated explanation that is both concise in its content and interdenominational in its approach. Distilled from historical Christian beliefs and rooted in three classic Christian words, Faith Hope Love artfully expresses the beauty of Christian faith for anyone who • Curious about how Christianity forms in its followers a sense purpose, meaning, identity, perseverance, and ethics – addressing the question, ‘’Why can't I just try to be a ‘good person’ instead?’’ • Confused about why there are so many versions of Christianity and if are there any basic beliefs that unite them – answering concerns like,‘’Do I have to read the Bible literally?,’’ or ‘’How can hell be compatible with God’s love?’’ • Skeptical that Christianity is any different from any other religion that is used for social control – responding to the fear, ‘’Will Christianity just try to make me conform more and think less?’’ Church planter and pastor Colin Kerr has crafted an introduction of Christianity that is both academic enough for educational use and compelling enough for the spiritual explorer, finally filling a much-needed niche as a modern “Mere Christianity” for the 21st century.
209 pages, Paperback
Published March 24, 2020
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39 people want to read
About the author
Colin R. Kerr
1 book7 followersColin Kerr (M.Div) is the founding pastor of Parkside Church, a Presbyterian new church development. He previously spent eight years assisting historic congregations with church renewal strategies and planting a new multi-campus college ministry, which grew to become one of the largest Presbyterian collegiate ministries in the nation. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 30, 2023
This, personally, might be the most important book I've ever read. I've grown up in the church, but I've always had questions about who God really is. Founded in biblical references and church tradition, I feel like I've gotten some answers to questions I was afraid to ask. This has helped renew my faith and trust in God. I would love to lend this book out to anybody who would like to read it.
April 23, 2023
Colin’s book is winsome. A digestible read intertwined with deep theology and intellect.
March 24, 2020
Faith, Hope, and Love is a concise and winsome primer for anyone who is curious, confused or skeptical about Christianity. Whether you've spent your life in relationship with God, feel alienated from a faith you once held dear, or have never encountered God at all, this book answers the question of why it is so difficult to define what it essentially means to be a Christian. Through the lenses of science, history, philosophy, and theology, it invites everyone into an encounter, “past every reason to keep God at arms length”, with a love that does not simply observe our personal and collective suffering from afar, but fully enters into it with us, weeps alongside us and gives us hope for a life of joy, healing, and restoration.
As someone who has grown up in the church, the book was an encouraging reminder to step back from the 'extras’ that we so often put onto the list of essentials for faith such as nuances in theology, a particular political bent, or a set of social ideals, and it strives to remember the simplicity of the gospel. Once we have received the gift of reconciliation, I particularly appreciated the way that the book expands on the privilege that we have as believers in Christ to contribute in a very real way to the restoration of the world around us. I have always viewed good works, such as loving my neighbor or caring for the natural world, as simply an act of gratitude to a God who loves, pursues, and rescues us despite our persistent turning away from Him. The book expanded that motivation by showing how:
“understanding the good we contribute to the world as being woven into a redemptive tapestry
that will last forever is deeply satisfying. It can certainly prompt people to work for positive
change, both large and small, who might have otherwise grown cynical by the logical implications
of believing nothing will truly last…I can have confidence that my contribution will make a
difference, even if I cannot live to see it come to fruition.”
In the context of the uncertainty that we are facing in the world around us, that is a hopeful reminder and a powerful motivator not to grow weary in doing good as we share in Christ’s suffering here on earth. The weight of the world has not been left on our shoulders, but we have been gifted with the opportunity to participate in it’s restoration in ways that will be for our good both now and into eternity.
As someone who has grown up in the church, the book was an encouraging reminder to step back from the 'extras’ that we so often put onto the list of essentials for faith such as nuances in theology, a particular political bent, or a set of social ideals, and it strives to remember the simplicity of the gospel. Once we have received the gift of reconciliation, I particularly appreciated the way that the book expands on the privilege that we have as believers in Christ to contribute in a very real way to the restoration of the world around us. I have always viewed good works, such as loving my neighbor or caring for the natural world, as simply an act of gratitude to a God who loves, pursues, and rescues us despite our persistent turning away from Him. The book expanded that motivation by showing how:
“understanding the good we contribute to the world as being woven into a redemptive tapestry
that will last forever is deeply satisfying. It can certainly prompt people to work for positive
change, both large and small, who might have otherwise grown cynical by the logical implications
of believing nothing will truly last…I can have confidence that my contribution will make a
difference, even if I cannot live to see it come to fruition.”
In the context of the uncertainty that we are facing in the world around us, that is a hopeful reminder and a powerful motivator not to grow weary in doing good as we share in Christ’s suffering here on earth. The weight of the world has not been left on our shoulders, but we have been gifted with the opportunity to participate in it’s restoration in ways that will be for our good both now and into eternity.
May 11, 2020
the last third of this book felt like a warm hug for my soul... i felt so SECURE in my own views of who God is after finishing this book. (spoiler alert its love) it answered questions and concerns about Christianity and the modern church in a way that was analytical, touching, and honest while always bringing the readers to focus on the true nature of God. I wanted to highlight everything. big fan of the book and the author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews