Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Baker Books (2008), 272 pages
Description
Is it possible that we have left Christ out of Christianity? Is the faith and practice of American Christians today more American than Christian? These are the provocative questions Michael Horton addresses in this well-received, insightful book. He argues that while we invoke the name of Christ, too often Christ and the Christ-centered gospel are pushed aside. The result is a message and a faith that are, in Horton's words, "trivial, sentimental, affirming, and irrelevant." This alternative "gospel" is a message of moralism, personal comfort, self-help, self-improvement, and individualistic religion. It trivializes God, making him a means to our selfish ends. Horton skillfully diagnoses the problem and points to the solution: a return to the unadulterated gospel of salvation. Now available in trade paper.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jgaryellison
There is much to be appreciated in this book, but my one complaint is that Horton is so overly concerned that someone might think that his works contribute to salvation, that he underplays the importance of showing, as John the Baptist preached, the fruits of our repentance.
LibraryThing member ThorneStaff
Horton approaches his topic - the wholesale sellout of the American Christian Church to pragmatic, self-indulgent, consumer-oriented salesmanship of good advice rather than gospel or good news - from a reformed/Calvinistic perspective, but whether or not your theology matches his it is still
He calls the Church back to the centrality of preaching the gospel - i.e. the Good News that God has in Christ reconciled the world to Himself with a reconciliation wholly outside the realm of human works. He also calls the Church back to receiving God's grace through "the means of grace" which he delineates as baptism, communion, and the right preaching of the Word of God.
It't very though provoking and well worth an investment of your time.
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possible to get great insights from reading this book.He calls the Church back to the centrality of preaching the gospel - i.e. the Good News that God has in Christ reconciled the world to Himself with a reconciliation wholly outside the realm of human works. He also calls the Church back to receiving God's grace through "the means of grace" which he delineates as baptism, communion, and the right preaching of the Word of God.
It't very though provoking and well worth an investment of your time.
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LibraryThing member SamTekoa
Too bad there aren't any good libel laws in the USA. This book is one confused polemic of poorly defined terms grossly misapplied. He takes shots at most every Christian group one can think of.. It is like a guy trying to do delicate dental surgery with a hammer and chisel. A very lazy thinker or
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one suffering from bi-polar disorder. Better to take a nap than read this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member superfastreader
Synopsis:
An examination and critique of the current state of Christianity in America, which shows the pervasive influences of Pelagianism and Gnosticism–these heresies are closer than you think.
Review:
Michael Horton had me at “Joel Osteen.” I was blown away by the incisiveness of Christless
The first section of the book deals with the prosperity gospel, looking at Osteen and others of his ilk who preach that God wants good things for you, but who never mention Jesus or the cross in any of their sermons. Horton shows that the “easy” road that these teachers proclaim is actually just another form of legalism. All you have to do to live the good life is to follow God and be a good person. God helps those who help themselves. The onus of salvation rests squarely on our shoulders. God does not come down to us; we build a stairway to him. This is Pelagianism, which says that we must play a part in our own redemption. The reformers (Calvin and Luther, etcetera) countered this heresy by preaching that salvation is by grace alone–we do nothing.
The second section of the book delves into the Emergent church and public spokesmen like Jim Wallis and Rick Warren, those who preach that churches are to take up where Jesus left off, and continue to redeem the world. This is the “living gospel” or “deed without creed.” Horton explains how these teachings betray Gnostic tendencies that elevate human beings above God.
Even more important in this section was Horton’s depiction of the church as a place where believers come to be served by God through the sacraments and the Word. Too often the modern church becomes another workplace, with believers encouraged to throw themselves into ministry. In fact, church itself is hardly necessary at all. Just go and “live the gospel.” The sacraments become “means of commitment” rather than “means of grace.” Here again, we find a legalistic gospel that says that our works are the most important thing in the salvation equation.
Horton emphatically states that believers need to receive the Word and the sacraments, out of which will flow worship and service. Too many churches get it the wrong way round, saying that we need to get our hearts right with God on our own. He writes,
"The church has a very narrow commission. It is not called to be an alternative neighborhood, circle of friends, political action committee, or public service agency; it is called to deliver Christ so clearly and fully that believers are prepared to be salt and light in the worldly stations to which God has called them. Why should a person go through all the trouble of belonging to a church and showing up each Sunday if God is the passive receiver and we are the active giver?
…Not only once upon a time, on a hill far away, but each week the Son of God comes to serve us. We may protest. We may think that it is we who need to serve God rather than vice versa. Nevertheless, Jesus tells us as he told Peter that this is actually an insult, a form of pride. We are the ones who need to be bathed, clothed, and fed, not God.
…the main purpose of singing in church is not to express our inner experience, piety and zeal but to serve each other by making ‘the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16)… Pastors and teachers are not cruise director who provide venues for everyone to channel all of their gifts and energies to the church, but they are deliverers of the message of Christ."
So much good news here!
An examination and critique of the current state of Christianity in America, which shows the pervasive influences of Pelagianism and Gnosticism–these heresies are closer than you think.
Review:
Michael Horton had me at “Joel Osteen.” I was blown away by the incisiveness of Christless
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Christianity, a stunning work that made me so, so thankful to be attending a church deeply rooted in Reformation orthopraxis.The first section of the book deals with the prosperity gospel, looking at Osteen and others of his ilk who preach that God wants good things for you, but who never mention Jesus or the cross in any of their sermons. Horton shows that the “easy” road that these teachers proclaim is actually just another form of legalism. All you have to do to live the good life is to follow God and be a good person. God helps those who help themselves. The onus of salvation rests squarely on our shoulders. God does not come down to us; we build a stairway to him. This is Pelagianism, which says that we must play a part in our own redemption. The reformers (Calvin and Luther, etcetera) countered this heresy by preaching that salvation is by grace alone–we do nothing.
The second section of the book delves into the Emergent church and public spokesmen like Jim Wallis and Rick Warren, those who preach that churches are to take up where Jesus left off, and continue to redeem the world. This is the “living gospel” or “deed without creed.” Horton explains how these teachings betray Gnostic tendencies that elevate human beings above God.
Even more important in this section was Horton’s depiction of the church as a place where believers come to be served by God through the sacraments and the Word. Too often the modern church becomes another workplace, with believers encouraged to throw themselves into ministry. In fact, church itself is hardly necessary at all. Just go and “live the gospel.” The sacraments become “means of commitment” rather than “means of grace.” Here again, we find a legalistic gospel that says that our works are the most important thing in the salvation equation.
Horton emphatically states that believers need to receive the Word and the sacraments, out of which will flow worship and service. Too many churches get it the wrong way round, saying that we need to get our hearts right with God on our own. He writes,
"The church has a very narrow commission. It is not called to be an alternative neighborhood, circle of friends, political action committee, or public service agency; it is called to deliver Christ so clearly and fully that believers are prepared to be salt and light in the worldly stations to which God has called them. Why should a person go through all the trouble of belonging to a church and showing up each Sunday if God is the passive receiver and we are the active giver?
…Not only once upon a time, on a hill far away, but each week the Son of God comes to serve us. We may protest. We may think that it is we who need to serve God rather than vice versa. Nevertheless, Jesus tells us as he told Peter that this is actually an insult, a form of pride. We are the ones who need to be bathed, clothed, and fed, not God.
…the main purpose of singing in church is not to express our inner experience, piety and zeal but to serve each other by making ‘the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16)… Pastors and teachers are not cruise director who provide venues for everyone to channel all of their gifts and energies to the church, but they are deliverers of the message of Christ."
So much good news here!
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LibraryThing member nathan.c.moore
Good book. Reminded me of David Wells' "Above All Earthly Pow'rs: Christ in a Postmodern World." Though Horton stoops to ranting and soapboxing at times, he describes the 'Christ-less-ness' of the American church. He argues that the American church is not necessarily becoming theologically liberal
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but theologically vacuous. Where liberalism downplayed the importance of doctrine the modern church is captive to moralistic, therapeutic deism... one where Christ is trivialized. He proceeds through the book by identifying that "Pelagianism is the default setting of the human heart: the religion of self-salvation." He then sets his pen to deconstructing the ministry and theology of Joel Osteen. Osteen's message is law-lite and free of condemnation. Yet in the end, Osteen calls followers back to the burden of do-good living, yet without the condemnation of the law, there is no appeal for mercy. The proper teaching of both law and Gospel is necessary. You must mourn before you can dance. The reason this type of ministry is so appealing is that it plays on our narcissistic defaults.Horton describes this book as the more negative counterpart of a two-book effort where he will offer a solution. However, one part of the solution Horton argues is trusting the ministry of the Word and the sacraments. Keeping with his Presbyterianism, Horton describes the ordinances as sacraments. Horton also seems to make an unnecessary dichotomy of "every member ministry" by assuming that this undermines pastoral giftings.I strongly agree with goodreads member David Rathel, who suggested that Horton needed a good editor. He was unnecessarily repetitive and I found I really had to work to follow the argument. This is one of those classic cases that is so common today... This would have been an excellent 50 page book, but no one wants to pay $15 for a 50 page book. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
272 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
0801013186 / 9780801013188
LCC
BR1642.U5 H674
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