A groundbreaking insider’s look at the lives and culture of American evangelicals In Believers, award-winning religion journalist Jeffery L. Sheler offers a unique and intimate look at the evangelical Christian subculture—a faith tradition that some sixty million Americans call their own. With panoramic sweep and compelling narrative detail, Sheler, who grew up as an evangelical, breaks through the stereotypes to examine not just the big-time ministers but also the ordinary people who make up this dynamic movement. Traveling across the nation, Sheler visits today’s evangelicals at work, at home, and at worship to discover how their faith shapes their lives and how they are influencing the public debate in this country. At a time when the religious right is more influential than ever, Believers is a timely and eye-opening exploration of the motives, aspirations, and agendas of American evangelicals.
In this lucid, insightful work, U.S. News & World Report religion writer Jeffrey L. Sheler draws upon years of investigation and in-depth interviews to tackle such controversial subjects as the recent Jesus Seminar, modern biblical archaeology, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the mysterious Bible codes. This solid exploration into some of the thorniest aspects of current debates about the Bible and religion concludes with a message of reassurance about historical accuracy, validity, and integrity of the Scriptures. Sheler's bold but balanced investigation discloses a Bible still worthy of belief in a modern age. In this authoritative book, renowned U.S. News & World Report religion writer Jeffrey L. Sheler sifts through the claims and counterclaims of contemporary biblical studies. After carefully investigating the full spectrum of cutting-edge research and conflicting reports, he challenges the popular perception that the credibility of the Bible has been seriously undermined by critical scholarship. Rather, he concludes that the weight of the historical evidence upholds the essential truth of Exodus, the Gospel accounts of Jesus, and other vital elements of the Bible. The author draws extensively from his own interviews with leading Bible experts and on-site reports from Israel and Egypt in his examination of scholarship's hot-button issues, including: Dramatic archaeological discoveries that both affirm and challenge the history in the Bible. The controversial quest for the historical Jesus and its sometimes flawed arguments and skeptical assumptions regarding the reliability of the Gospels. The amazing revelations of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient texts that profoundly influence our understanding of the Bible. The mysterious phenomenon of The Bible Code and why there may be far less to its doomsday prophesies than meets the eye. Sheler's considerable experience as a leading religion journalist enables him to get to the heart of the issues without the jargon. Written in clear, compelling prose, Is the Bible True? Presents a sophisticated analysis informed by important scholarly work in lucid, accessible terms.
Rick Warren is arguably the most influential man in American religion today. Megachurch pastor, friend of world leaders, and trend-setting spiritual entrepreneur, he is widely recognized as the new public face of evangelical Christianity in America. No other modern churchman has matched his success as a leader and motivator of Christians. His book, The Purpose-Driven Life, is the bestselling nonfiction hardcover of all time, with more than 25 million copies sold. At a time when evangelicalism stands at a political and cultural crossroads, his stature continues to rise. But who is Rick Warren? What can be learned from the story of the man behind the message? And what does his life say about the state of Christianity today? Prophet of Purpose: The Life of Rick Warren traces the road Warren has traveled, the influences in his life, his trials and temptations, and the opposition he has encountered along the way. Honest, thorough, and insightful, it explores his spiritual coming of age during the turbulent 1960s, his principled determination to sit out the divisive battles between fundamentalists and moderates in the Southern Baptist Convention in the late 1970s, and his audacious endeavor in the 1980s to build a “church for people who hate church” in the suburbs of Los Angeles. From a handful of worshippers meeting in a tiny apartment, he grew a vibrant congregation of over 22,000 and a global network of pastors who follow his strategies for building churches and transforming lives. In this unofficial biography, Jeffery L. Sheler, who had unfettered access to Warren and those closest to him, presents an intimate portrait of Warren as a man of faith and vision but also of flesh and blood and human foibles–a pastor, communicator, philanthropist, and family man who is driven by a sense of divine purpose to complete the course his God has set before him. Prophet of Purpose brings Warren and his mission to life and provides a provocative glimpse into the potential future of Christianity in America.
A groundbreaking insider’s look at the lives and culture of American evangelicals In Believers, award-winning religion journalist Jeffery L. Sheler offers a unique and intimate look at the evangelical Christian subculture—a faith tradition that some sixty million Americans call their own. With panoramic sweep and compelling narrative detail, Sheler, who grew up as an evangelical, breaks through the stereotypes to examine not just the big-time ministers but also the ordinary people who make up this dynamic movement. Traveling across the nation, Sheler visits today’s evangelicals at work, at home, and at worship to discover how their faith shapes their lives and how they are influencing the public debate in this country. At a time when the religious right is more influential than ever, Believers is a timely and eye-opening exploration of the motives, aspirations, and agendas of American evangelicals.
Rick Warren is arguably the most influential man in American religion today. Megachurch pastor, friend of world leaders, and trend-setting spiritual entrepreneur, he is widely recognized as the new public face of evangelical Christianity in America. No other modern churchman has matched his success as a leader and motivator of Christians. His book, The Purpose-Driven Life, is the bestselling nonfiction hardcover of all time, with more than 25 million copies sold. At a time when evangelicalism stands at a political and cultural crossroads, his stature continues to rise. But who is Rick Warren? What can be learned from the story of the man behind the message? And what does his life say about the state of Christianity today? Prophet of Purpose: The Life of Rick Warren traces the road Warren has traveled, the influences in his life, his trials and temptations, and the opposition he has encountered along the way. Honest, thorough, and insightful, it explores his spiritual coming of age during the turbulent 1960s, his principled determination to sit out the divisive battles between fundamentalists and moderates in the Southern Baptist Convention in the late 1970s, and his audacious endeavor in the 1980s to build a “church for people who hate church” in the suburbs of Los Angeles. From a handful of worshippers meeting in a tiny apartment, he grew a vibrant congregation of over 22,000 and a global network of pastors who follow his strategies for building churches and transforming lives. In this unofficial biography, Jeffery L. Sheler, who had unfettered access to Warren and those closest to him, presents an intimate portrait of Warren as a man of faith and vision but also of flesh and blood and human foibles–a pastor, communicator, philanthropist, and family man who is driven by a sense of divine purpose to complete the course his God has set before him. Prophet of Purpose brings Warren and his mission to life and provides a provocative glimpse into the potential future of Christianity in America.
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