Why should anyone believe in God in a world with so much pain? How can I be part of the church when it's so full of hypocrisy? Isn't "spiritual but not religious" enough? What makes Jesus more important than Muhammad, Buddha, or other religious leaders? Why should I trust Christianity when it's hurt so many people? What if it hurt me? Most Christians have found themselves in conversations with nonbelieving friends and family where these kinds of questions have come up. In fact, most Christians have probably found themselves asking these questions too. But everyone who has ever wondered about such complicated things knows that this is dangerous territory--after all, what if there's no easy answer? This book welcomes and encourages these questions that Christians "aren't supposed to ask." In each chapter, James Brownson introduces a particular question and then reframes it with a relevant passage from the Bible, bringing to bear his expertise as a biblical scholar. Rather than providing dogmatic (and ultimately unsatisfying) "Sunday school answers," he explores the questions in provocative ways that often challenge the status quo of American Christianity. Fittingly, each chapter closes with discussion questions and suggestions for further reading, so that the conversations begun here can continue among the book's readers in fruitful ways.
James V. Brownson is the James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He is also the author of Bible, Gender, Sexuality and The Promise of Baptism.
Reviews in Religion & Theology "This little book is an excellent one to be read by pastors and people alike, churchgoers and especially those who are currently staying away from being part of organized religion for any number of reasons. . . . This is a practical and useful book that may well bring many to the faith or back to the faith." "Jim Brownson is one of the most important biblical scholars writing today, and in this book, he lends his theological expertise to a variety of contemporary issues that often prove to be stumbling blocks for young people and others wrestling with doubts about Christianity. From the problems of hypocrisy and abuse in the church to theological debates about sexuality, hell, and women's roles, Dr. Brownson offers important insights from Scripture to help Christians think more clearly about complex topics. Questions Christians Aren't Supposed to Ask presents close readings of New Testament passages in an accessible, practical format that highlights the contemporary relevance of Scripture in our culture." --Matthew Vines executive director of The Reformation Project and author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case for Same-Sex Relationships "I once heard the late Bob Cook, longtime President of King's College in Briar Cliff, New York, say, 'What a person says about you having known you for twenty minutes may or may not be true. What a person says about you having known you for twenty years is most likely true.' I have known Jim Brownson for much longer than twenty years I can tell you that he is a thoughtful, thorough scholar who has asked and answered tough questions for a very long time. I can't wait for you to verify this for yourself as you read Questions Christians Aren't Supposed to Ask." -- Timothy L. Brown president emeritus and professor of preaching at Western Theological Seminary
