"I have tried to describe a Christianity which is fully compatible with everything we now know, and to indicate why Christians feel privileged to give their lives to it."
—Huston Smith
In his most personal and passionate book on the spiritual life, renowned author, scholar, and teacher of world religions Huston Smith turns to his own life-long religion, Christianity. With stories and personal anecdotes, Smith not only presents the basic beliefs and essential teachings of Christianity, but argues why religious belief matters in today's secular world.
Though there is a wide variety of contemporary interpretations of Christianity—some of them conflicting—Smith cuts through these to describe Christianity's "Great Tradition," the common faith of the first millennium of believers, which is the trunk of the tree from which Christianity's many branches, twigs, and leaves have grown. This is not the exclusivist Christianity of strict fundamentalists, nor the liberal, watered-down Christianity practiced by many contemporary churchgoers. In exposing biblical literalism as unworkable as well as enumerating the mistakes of modern secularists, Smith presents the very soul of a real and substantive faith, one still relevant and worth believing in.
Smith rails against the hijacked Christianity of politicians who exploit it for their own needs. He decries the exercise of business that widens the gap between rich and poor, and fears education has lost its sense of direction. For Smith, the media has become a business that sensationalizes news rather than broadening our understanding, and art and music have become commercial and shocking rather than enlightening. Smith reserves his harshest condemnation, however, for secular modernity, which has stemmed from the misreading of science—the mistake of assuming that "absence of evidence" of a scientific nature is "evidence of absence." These mistakes have all but banished faith in transcendence and the Divine from mainstream culture and pushed it to the margins.
Though the situation is grave, these modern misapprehensions can be corrected, says Smith, by reexamining the great tradition of Christianity's first millennium and reaping the lessons it holds for us today. This fresh examination of the Christian worldview, its history, and its major branches provides the deepest, most authentic vision of Christianity—one that is both tolerant and substantial, traditional and relevant.
From Publishers Weekly An intriguing combination of apologia, early church history and cultural critique, this deeply personal book attempts to convey the foundations of Christian thought in a way that appeals to modern readers seeking authentic faith in a secular culture. The devotional tone is a distinct departure for Smith, a philosopher and prominent scholar of world religions. This may account for the erudite and occasionally rambling quality of the book's first section, where Smith delineates the "fixed points" of a Christian worldview; he uses science, psychology, the arts, Platonic philosophy and medieval theology to meditate on the nature of reality and the order of the universe. As Smith takes on the "shaky foundation" of modern culture, one of his central tenets is that modern culture has not been able to "distinguish absence-of-evidence from evidence-of-absence." The book's longest section is Smith's summary of the life and significance of Jesus, the history of the early church and various theological matters such as the Trinity and the nature of heaven and hell. While parts are relatively straightforward, Smith's use of anecdotes and willingness to make his own idiosyncratic interpretations of major doctrines of the Christian faith mean that this section cannot be read as a simple digest of previous scholarship. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist Renowned religious scholar Smith believes we are living through the second of two great revolutions. The first, that of the scientific method that emerged in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, he proclaims was disastrous for the human spirit. The current revolution he deems constructive because it allows us to see where secularism went wrong, making the twentieth century an era of violence, not progress, and rendering the institutions of contemporary culture unstable at best. He examines basic Christianity by writing about what Christianity means to him and how it has shaped his life and beliefs in three chapters that eruditely discuss, respectively, the Christian worldview, the Christian story (encompassing the historical Jesus, the Christ of faith, the Resurrection, the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Incarnation, among other topics), and the three branches of Christianity today (Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism). In revealing his own religious beliefs, Smith offers a Christian primer filtered through the mind of a brilliant interpreter. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
"I have tried to describe a Christianity which is fully compatible with everything we now know, and to indicate why Christians feel privileged to give their lives to it."—Huston SmithIn his most personal and passionate book on the spiritual life, renowned author, scholar, and teacher of world religions Huston Smith turns to his own life-long religion, Christianity. With stories and personal anecdotes, Smith not only presents the basic beliefs and essential teachings of Christianity, but argues why religious belief matters in today's secular world.Though there is a wide variety of contemporary interpretations of Christianity—some of them conflicting—Smith cuts through these to describe Christianity's "Great Tradition," the common faith of the first millennium of believers, which is the trunk of the tree from which Christianity's many branches, twigs, and leaves have grown. This is not the exclusivist Christianity of strict fundamentalists, nor the liberal, watered-down Christianity practiced by many contemporary churchgoers. In exposing biblical literalism as unworkable as well as enumerating the mistakes of modern secularists, Smith presents the very soul of a real and substantive faith, one still relevant and worth believing in.Smith rails against the hijacked Christianity of politicians who exploit it for their own needs. He decries the exercise of business that widens the gap between rich and poor, and fears education has lost its sense of direction. For Smith, the media has become a business that sensationalizes news rather than broadening our understanding, and art and music have become commercial and shocking rather than enlightening. Smith reserves his harshest condemnation, however, for secular modernity, which has stemmed from the misreading of science—the mistake of assuming that "absence of evidence" of a scientific nature is "evidence of absence." These mistakes have all but banished faith in transcendence and the Divine from mainstream culture and pushed it to the margins.Though the situation is grave, these modern misapprehensions can be corrected, says Smith, by reexamining the great tradition of Christianity's first millennium and reaping the lessons it holds for us today. This fresh examination of the Christian worldview, its history, and its major branches provides the deepest, most authentic vision of Christianity—one that is both tolerant and substantial, traditional and relevant.

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The Soul of Christianity: Restoring the Great Tradition (Plus)

Smith, Huston

HarperSanFrancisco ; Publishers Group UK [distributor

HarperCollins e-Books

Longman Publishing

Harper Collins

PerfectBound

Place of publication not identified, 2014

1st ed., San Francisco, California, 2005

United States, United States of America

San Francisco, Calif., Enfield, 2007

New York, New York State, 2005

HarperCollins, [N.p.], 2009

San Francisco, 2006, ©2005

First Edition, 2005

September 6, 2005

September 5, 2006

Reprint, US, 2006

New York, 2009

1, 20091013

lg1433514

{"publisher":"HarperCollins"}

Memory of the World Librarian: Slowrotation

Memory of the World Librarian: Quintus

<p><p>i Have Tried To Describe A Christianity Which Is Fully Compatible With Everything We Now Know, And To Indicate Why Christians Feel Privileged To Give Their Lives To It.<br> &#8212;huston Smith <p>in His Most Personal And Passionate Book On The Spiritual Life, Renowned Author, Scholar, And Teacher Of World Religions Huston Smith Turns To His Own Life-long Religion, Christianity. With Stories And Personal Anecdotes, Smith Not Only Presents The Basic Beliefs And Essential Teachings Of Christianity, But Argues Why Religious Belief Matters In Today's Secular World. <p>though There Is A Wide Variety Of Contemporary Interpretations Of Christianity&#8212;some Of Them Conflicting&#8212;smith Cuts Through These To Describe Christianity's Great Tradition, The Common Faith Of The First Millennium Of Believers, Which Is The Trunk Of The Tree From Which Christianity's Many Branches, Twigs, And Leaves Have Grown. This Is Not The Exclusivist Christianity Of Strict Fundamentalists, Nor The Liberal, Watered-down Christianity Practiced By Many Contemporary Churchgoers. In Exposing Biblical Literalism As Unworkable As Well As Enumerating The Mistakes Of Modern Secularists, Smith Presents The Very Soul Of A Real And Substantive Faith, One Still Relevant And Worth Believing In. <p>smith Rails Against The Hijacked Christianity Of Politicians Who Exploit It For Their Own Needs. He Decries The Exercise Of Business That Widens The Gap Between Rich And Poor, And Fears Education Has Lost Its Sense Of Direction. For Smith, The Media Has Become A Business That Sensationalizes News Rather Than Broadening Our Understanding, And Art And Music Have Become Commercial And Shocking Rather Than Enlightening. Smith Reserves His Harshest Condemnation, However, For Secular Modernity, Which Has Stemmed From The Misreading Of Science&#8212;the Mistake Of Assuming That Absence Of Evidence Of A Scientific Nature Is Evidence Of Absence. These Mistakes Have All But Banished Faith In Transcendence And The Divine From Mainstream Culture And Pushed It To The Margins. <p>though The Situation Is Grave, These Modern Misapprehensions Can Be Corrected, Says Smith, By Reexamining The Great Tradition Of Christianity's First Millennium And Reaping The Lessons It Holds For Us Today. This Fresh Examination Of The Christian Worldview, Its History, And Its Major Branches Provides The Deepest, Most Authentic Vision Of Christianity&#8212;one That Is Both Tolerant And Substantial, Traditional And Relevant.</p> <h3>publishers Weekly</h3> <p>an Intriguing Combination Of Apologia, Early Church History And Cultural Critique, This Deeply Personal Book Attempts To Convey The Foundations Of Christian Thought In A Way That Appeals To Modern Readers Seeking Authentic Faith In A Secular Culture. The Devotional Tone Is A Distinct Departure For Smith, A Philosopher And Prominent Scholar Of World Religions. This May Account For The Erudite And Occasionally Rambling Quality Of The Book's First Section, Where Smith Delineates The Fixed Points Of A Christian Worldview; He Uses Science, Psychology, The Arts, Platonic Philosophy And Medieval Theology To Meditate On The Nature Of Reality And The Order Of The Universe. As Smith Takes On The Shaky Foundation Of Modern Culture, One Of His Central Tenets Is That Modern Culture Has Not Been Able To Distinguish Absence-of-evidence From Evidence-of-absence. The Book's Longest Section Is Smith's Summary Of The Life And Significance Of Jesus, The History Of The Early Church And Various Theological Matters Such As The Trinity And The Nature Of Heaven And Hell. While Parts Are Relatively Straightforward, Smith's Use Of Anecdotes And Willingness To Make His Own Idiosyncratic Interpretations Of Major Doctrines Of The Christian Faith Mean That This Section Cannot Be Read As A Simple Digest Of Previous Scholarship. (sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.</p>

"I have tried to describe a Christianity which is fully compatible with everything we now know, and to indicate why Christians feel privileged to give their lives to it." -Huston Smith In his most personal and passionate book on the spiritual life, renowned author, scholar, and teacher of world religions Huston Smith turns to his own life-long religion, Christianity. With stories and personal anecdotes, Smith not only presents the basic beliefs and essential teachings of Christianity, but argues why religious belief matters in today's secular world. Though there is a wide variety of contemporary interpretations of Christianity -- some of them conflicting -- Smith cuts through these to describe Christianity's "Great Tradition," the common faith of the first millennium of believers, which is the trunk of the tree from which Christianity's many branches, twigs, and leaves have grown. This is not the exclusivist Christianity of strict fundamentalists, nor the liberal, watered-down Christianity practiced by many contemporary churchgoers. In exposing biblical literalism as unworkable as well as enumerating the mistakes of modern secularists, Smith presents the very soul of a real and substantive faith, one still relevant and worth believing in.Smith rails against the hijacked Christianity of politicians who exploit it for their own needs. He decries the exercise of business that widens the gap between rich and poor, and fears education has lost its sense of direction. For Smith, the media has become a business that sensationalizes news rather than broadening our understanding, and art and music have become commercial and shocking rather than enlightening. Smith reserves his harshest condemnation, however, for secular modernity, which has stemmed from the misreading of science -- the mistake of assuming that "absence of evidence" of a scientific nature is "evidence of absence." These mistakes have all but banished faith in transcendence and the Divine from mainstream culture and pushed it to the margins.Though the situation is grave, these modern misapprehensions can be corrected, says Smith, by reexamining the great tradition of Christianity's first millennium and reaping the lessons it holds for us today. This fresh examination of the Christian worldview, its history, and its major branches provides the deepest, most authentic vision of Christianity -- one that is both tolerant and substantial, traditional and relevant.

"In this elegant and passionate treatise, the dean of world religions defends the essentials of Christianity, the world's largest religion. Bestselling author Huston Smith stakes out a path between culturally rigid, intolerant evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity and nontranscendent, liberal Christianity. He presents a convincing argument for a vital alternative that is a deeper, more authentic faith, a faith that guided the Church for its first thousand years. Book jacket."--Jacket

The author of The World's Religions outlines the essential teachings of Christianity as well as his own beliefs about the Christian faith, citing the differences between liberal and fundamentalist practices while arguing for a return to more traditional Christian belief systems. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.

2015-12-23