Florian Berndt

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Florian Berndt is currently reading

Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction

by Bradley Jersak

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Florian Berndt said: " I received an advanced reader copy of this book.

In his new book “Out of the Embers: Faith after the Great Deconstruction,” Bradley Jersak addresses the probably most divisive issue facing the body of Christ today. With his usual down-to-earth wisdom I received an advanced reader copy of this book.

In his new book “Out of the Embers: Faith after the Great Deconstruction,” Bradley Jersak addresses the probably most divisive issue facing the body of Christ today. With his usual down-to-earth wisdom, born out of real life experience and deep theological reflection, he cuts right through the simplifications and easy pat answers of either turning the deconstruction phenomenon into a new marketing trend or demonizing it as the “great falling away” so many of us have been warned of all our lives in our various faith communities.

Sharing his own traumatic deconstruction journey, followed by the insights of the voices that helped him keep his sanity and find deeper faith in the midst of it all, the book strongly reflects his pastoral heart, which is as always first of all to listen - listen to those whose toxic experience of faith communities have left them disillusioned and angry, to those whose lives have collapsed under the weight of losing their north star and map of meaning, to opposing voices, and the sages that have gone before us.

As any dramatic changes that occurred during the course of history suggest, the stories we’ve been telling ourselves until now are repeatedly being challenged as faith and culture continuously meet head on. Yet, as the title of the book subtly reminds us, “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” and what some observers might interpret as the utter destruction of the Christian faith, might in fact be the labor pains that Paul of Tarsus prophesied of, and the collapse of our failing ideologies might well represent the tumbling of our idols – even those we’ve dressed up in Christian garb.

Avoiding triumphalist notions of a “deus ex machina” saving the day, Brad instead calls the reader with deep mystical intuition to a living connection with the Crucified One in the midst of authentic and tangibly loving communion amidst such raging culture wars. Through this he reminds his audience that a seed first has to fall into the ground and die before it can bring forth new life, there being plenty that needs to die right now. But just as Jesus’ disciple Peter had to lose his overtly self-confident idealism to find himself being held by the One he betrayed, so what has been labeled “deconstruction” cannot be an end in itself. In fact, stopping there will never transcend the mindset that led to the original enchantment and consequential disillusionment in the first place.

Thus, while Brad writes with great compassion to and for those who would rather abandon faith all together, and honors their journey, he does speak at times truth that might not be easy to take in at first. Here, his conviction that Jesus still has something to say to this generation clearly shines through, as he demonstrates that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but that we simply need to let our roots grow deeper into the ancient ground of love. Hence, it is never truth devoid of love with which he cuts straight to the core of the issue. For as the book suggests, it is this love we are ultimately all craving for – if we know it or not, understand it or not, and even believe it or not. ...more "

Nov 25, 2022 05:30AM · see review

Florian’s Quotes

“‎Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen Hard. Practice wellness. PLay with abondon. Laugh. Choose with no regrets. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is”
― Mary Anne Radmacher

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