What do you think?
Rate this book
Holy Curiosity: Encountering Jesus' Provocative Questions
As Jesus was known in his day as a teacher who spoke with authority, it may be surprising to discover just how many times he asked a question of his listeners rather than telling them something outright. What kind of an all-knowing God asks questions of mere humans? This thought-provoking study of the "questioning" Jesus is a unique exploration of one of his most subversive teaching tools. In Holy Curiosity, popular author and columnist Winn Collier invites readers to hear Jesus's persistent questions, to allow them to penetrate the soul, and to be called to the untamed life that Jesus offers. The questions covered include €¢ Who condemns you? €¢ Why do you doubt? €¢ Do you believe this? €¢ Does this offend you? €¢ and more Collier challenges readers to see Jesus in fresh ways, discarding sterile caricatures for a Jesus that is real, strong, and absolutely relentless in his pursuit of us.
- GenresChristian
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
23 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Winn Collier
16 books90 followersWinn has written for periodicals such as Washington Post, Christian Century, Soul Journey, Christianity Today, In Touch, Campus Life, Leadership Journal, Radiant, Preaching Today and Clear & Seven. For six years, Winn was the Deeper Walk editor for Relevant Magazine. His first solo book, Restless Faith: Hanging on to a God Just out of Reach is a candid exploration into the perplexing, riveting and mysterious nature of God - and the humility we discover in the encounter. His second book Let God: The Transforming Wisdom of Francois Fenelon enters conversation with a 17th century French spiritual guide. Winn's most recent book, Holy Curiosity: Encountering Jesus' Provocative Questions, explores the strange reality that Jesus often held out a question rather than an answer. Winn's first fiction was the epistolary novel Love Big, Be Well: Letters to a Small-Town Church which narrates the story of Jonas McAnn and the community of Granby Presbyterian via letters Jonas writes to his friends (i.e. "congregation). Winn's most recent book is A Burning in My Bones, the authorized biography of Eugene Peterson.
A pastor for 25 years and the founding pastor of All Souls in Charlottesville, Virginia, Winn and his family now live in Holland, Michigan, where he teaches at Western Theological Seminary and directs the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination. Winn earned a PhD in religion and literature from the University of Virginia.
A pastor for 25 years and the founding pastor of All Souls in Charlottesville, Virginia, Winn and his family now live in Holland, Michigan, where he teaches at Western Theological Seminary and directs the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination. Winn earned a PhD in religion and literature from the University of Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 17, 2019
Holy Curiosity surprised me in that it was much more than I had expected. Many so called “Christian” writings leave me a bit disappointed. Not necessarily because of their lack of content, but that they are sometimes shallow in depth of description. This book was not so! Not only was it full of helpful information for living the Christian life but it was probing and compelling in challenging me to look to my innermost desires. It pressed me to want to answer Christ’s questions concerning me. Just consider the questions posed for each chapter in the Table of Contents and then if you were to read Holy Curiosity you would be drawn close to the heart of our dear Savior:
2. Who Condemns You? All the Mad Voices
3. Why Are You Afraid? The Grace of Letting Go
4. How Much Bread Do You Have? Makings of a God Feast
5. Are You Being Willfully Stupid? Open to God’s Surprises
6. My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me? Embracing Violent Prayer
7. Are You Confused? The Gift of Disorientation
8. Do You Believe This? How God’s Silence Speaks
9. Why Do You Doubt? Faith’s Odd Friend
10. What Do You Want? A Way Back To God
Just stop and consider each of these questions of Jesus as touching your own life. You having perhaps been a believer for some time know the scripture references associated with the questions and the passages that give context. Read and learn…
Of all the questions, I agree with the author that the last is the greatest for me. I need to ask Jesus’ question, “What Do You Want” to those I disciple, and even ask myself this most important question. Remember, Jesus asked this question to blind Bartimaeus whose answer was immediate and most sincere. You consider that, “Jesus loves to pull our desires to the surface, and he loves when our desires (especially our truest, deepest ones) come into the open freely. Jesus loved the blind man’s request because it was honest and raw. Jesus loved how the blind man was quick with his hope; he loved his fiery desire. Jesus didn’t quibble. The only thing Jesus cared to do was give the man what he wanted.” What do you want? Jesus would love to give it to you freely; just reveal your deepest need…
“Faith and Doubt aren’t mutually exclusive—but faith and unbelief are.”
-Alister McGrath as quoted by Winn Collier in “Holy Curiosity”
2. Who Condemns You? All the Mad Voices
3. Why Are You Afraid? The Grace of Letting Go
4. How Much Bread Do You Have? Makings of a God Feast
5. Are You Being Willfully Stupid? Open to God’s Surprises
6. My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me? Embracing Violent Prayer
7. Are You Confused? The Gift of Disorientation
8. Do You Believe This? How God’s Silence Speaks
9. Why Do You Doubt? Faith’s Odd Friend
10. What Do You Want? A Way Back To God
Just stop and consider each of these questions of Jesus as touching your own life. You having perhaps been a believer for some time know the scripture references associated with the questions and the passages that give context. Read and learn…
Of all the questions, I agree with the author that the last is the greatest for me. I need to ask Jesus’ question, “What Do You Want” to those I disciple, and even ask myself this most important question. Remember, Jesus asked this question to blind Bartimaeus whose answer was immediate and most sincere. You consider that, “Jesus loves to pull our desires to the surface, and he loves when our desires (especially our truest, deepest ones) come into the open freely. Jesus loved the blind man’s request because it was honest and raw. Jesus loved how the blind man was quick with his hope; he loved his fiery desire. Jesus didn’t quibble. The only thing Jesus cared to do was give the man what he wanted.” What do you want? Jesus would love to give it to you freely; just reveal your deepest need…
“Faith and Doubt aren’t mutually exclusive—but faith and unbelief are.”
-Alister McGrath as quoted by Winn Collier in “Holy Curiosity”
January 12, 2009
Curiosity may have killed the cat but perhaps it's lack of curiosity that kills the soul. I question and wrestle with a lot of things - like every decision I've ever made, who I am, who God is. (But I think my questioning is more about wanting to 'get it right' than true curiosity.) Part of what I love about Winn is that he's a wrestler, too. He allows you space to explore and wonder. He's also not afraid to get messy with you. He's not scared to admit he struggles with faith, doubt, and shame. Really? Me too!
In Holy Curiosity, Winn leads you to a Jesus you may not have previously known. A Jesus who challenges you to honesty, to hope, to life. Winn explores Jesus' questions that cut right to the core of who you are. You might be surprised to find that the questions push more toward be-ing than knowing, more toward honesty than religiosity, and his questions urge us out of our self-absorbtion and pull us into something bigger. [p. 17:] Holy Curiosity and Jesus' questions will not leave you in your smallness. [p14:]. They will call you out into the wild open... ...to truly live [p13:] as you encounter a Jesus who is real, who is strong, and who is isn't afraid of who you are.
Winn embraces mystery and doesn't try give trite answers or right answers or sometimes, even any answers. Finally, someone who doesn't know it all and isn't afraid to say "I don't know. That's really hard." Thanks, Winn, I feel like I can breathe.
Part of being human is discovery, being open to the fresh life always possible just around the bend. [p.77:] I believe Winn has a voice of hope and passion in a world full of despair and condemnation. It's a voice I believe the world needs to hear.
In Holy Curiosity, Winn leads you to a Jesus you may not have previously known. A Jesus who challenges you to honesty, to hope, to life. Winn explores Jesus' questions that cut right to the core of who you are. You might be surprised to find that the questions push more toward be-ing than knowing, more toward honesty than religiosity, and his questions urge us out of our self-absorbtion and pull us into something bigger. [p. 17:] Holy Curiosity and Jesus' questions will not leave you in your smallness. [p14:]. They will call you out into the wild open... ...to truly live [p13:] as you encounter a Jesus who is real, who is strong, and who is isn't afraid of who you are.
Winn embraces mystery and doesn't try give trite answers or right answers or sometimes, even any answers. Finally, someone who doesn't know it all and isn't afraid to say "I don't know. That's really hard." Thanks, Winn, I feel like I can breathe.
Part of being human is discovery, being open to the fresh life always possible just around the bend. [p.77:] I believe Winn has a voice of hope and passion in a world full of despair and condemnation. It's a voice I believe the world needs to hear.
August 7, 2009
So I finally read this book...it really spoke to where I'm at right now and called into question some subtle assumptions I have. I read one chapter in the morning as a devotional and found myself jumping ahead b/c I didn't want to put it down. Wonderful, wonderful read. Thank you, Winn!
February 23, 2018
Winn Collier makes doubt an integral part of faith. Certainty does not help us grow. Doubt does that. I especially appreciate how he takes us there - tenderly, gently. Exploring the questions Jesus asked (and there were many) Collier leads us to understand and accept our own human-ness and invites us to explore the questions asked by our Biblical hero as we explore our own faith. Yep. This one is a re-read too.
February 21, 2023
I've had this book on my shelf since 2011 when I bought it at the dollar store. I thought maybe it was going to be slightly comedic or lighthearted just from the cover and title. I never expected much from it so it just sat on the shelf all these years. I'm so glad I finally decided to read it and maybe it was just the right time for it now. It surprised me! I enjoyed this book so much and wish I knew of others like it with this sort of perspective.
December 15, 2011
Picked this up at the $1 store, read over the course of 2 months. I dislike the format.
There are some interesting propositions that I interpret outside of Christian paradigm such as being afraid vs. feeling fear, and confusion being the height of consciousness.
But then there's also a lot of religious BS meant to be "loving [and] gentle" but just plain making no sense. Ex: "In Jesus, God abandoned himself" (p 98) Or, "God is eager to overwhelm us with generosity and kindness. However, God's lavish impulse does not diminish his wild nature" (p118).
Well, I've got my dose of weird theology for a while. Maybe I'll try this whole religious crap again in a few months. Or a few years.
**note:
I'm a Unitarian Universalist, not a plain ole Christian. This book was not written with me as the audience in mind.
Also, nice to see you like rating your own books, author Winn Collier! Obviously you like it -- you did publish it. Heh.
There are some interesting propositions that I interpret outside of Christian paradigm such as being afraid vs. feeling fear, and confusion being the height of consciousness.
But then there's also a lot of religious BS meant to be "loving [and] gentle" but just plain making no sense. Ex: "In Jesus, God abandoned himself" (p 98) Or, "God is eager to overwhelm us with generosity and kindness. However, God's lavish impulse does not diminish his wild nature" (p118).
Well, I've got my dose of weird theology for a while. Maybe I'll try this whole religious crap again in a few months. Or a few years.
**note:
I'm a Unitarian Universalist, not a plain ole Christian. This book was not written with me as the audience in mind.
Also, nice to see you like rating your own books, author Winn Collier! Obviously you like it -- you did publish it. Heh.
March 13, 2014
The author does an incredible job of highlighting how Jesus uses questions to masterfully engage the human experience. Extremely well done, with a gritty, incarnational, yet nonetheless high view of Scripture, through the lens of creative narrative.
November 12, 2012
couldn't recommend this more.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews