Bad Religion
How We Became a Nation of Heretics
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3.7 • 95 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A powerful, thought-provoking and always lively examination of how American Christianity has badly lost its way—with most of what goes by the name of Christianity today being one or another type of heresy—by the youngest writer ever appointed as editorial columnist for The New York Times.
In a world populated by “pray and grow rich” gospels and Christian cults of self-esteem, Ross Douthat argues that America’s problem isn’t too much religion; nor is it intolerant secularism. Rather, it’s bad religion. Conservative and liberal, political and pop cultural, traditionally religious and fashionably “spiritual”—Christianity’s place in American life has increasingly been taken over, not by atheism, but by heresy: debased versions of Christian faith that stroke our egos, indulge our follies, and encourage our worst impulses.
In a brilliant and provocative story that moves from the 1950s to the age of Obama, Douthat explores how bad religion has crippled the country’s ability to confront our most pressing challenges and accelerated American decline.
Customer Reviews
Excellent insights - well written
Ross Douthat offers a balanced presentation of the weakened state of North American Christianity and how the weakening of the church weakens society as a whole. Without romanticizing "the good old days," he traces the influence a robust and authentic Christian witness has had on the US and can have again. No book can thoroughly probe all the nuances which have caused the church to become nearly as polarized as society as a whole, but this book probes most with enough depth to make the case that a strong church has a lasting influence for individuals and society. Every Christian who is tired of compromise of some aspect of faith will find this book challenging and perhaps inspirational.
Ellis Brust
Epiphany Anglican Church
Mission Viejo, CA