REVITALIZING CHRISTIANITY

A prominent progressive Christian calls for a renewal and reconceptualization of the faith in this anthology.

“Have you ever felt your faith could use a refresh?” asks editor St Reynolds in his introduction, emphasizing the legacy of author Lewis’ “transformative perspective on Christian thought.” A former surgeon who’s done postgraduate work in Biblical studies, Lewis has spent years as a globally recognized voice of progressive Christianity. From page one, which includes statements on queer sexuality and environmental sustainability, readers are offered a perspective that is profoundly Christian yet stands in stark contrast to the proliferation of conservative voices in the genre. The author is ecumenical in his approach as he explores a core message of Christianity: “I must try to love like Jesus.” This is not to say the book offers a milquetoast brand of Christianity void of theological arguments—Lewis challenges fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible and questions orthodox assumptions about the nature of Jesus. Lewis’ boldest assertion, perhaps, is the “reasonable” assumption that Jesus was gay. Though this claim (based on Jesus’s unmarried status as a rabbi and his personal demeanor) may not be entirely convincing, it does make for a fruitful thought experiment, reframing Jesus as a “young man who is gay, looks different and feels different, yet is steeped in the Jewish culture of his time.” The author’s probing analysis is accompanied by a robust bibliography, but the text is written in an accessible style that includes pop-culture references (like Star Trek) and full-color images. While numbering fewer than 70 total pages (most of the essays are under five pages long), this is not a book designed to be read in a single sitting; it’s to be meditated upon as readers examine assumptions often left unquestioned. Curated under the watchful editorial eye of St Reynolds, himself a leading voice in progressive Christian scholarship, this anthology is a well-crafted introduction to a branch of Christianity often overshadowed by the religion’s more boisterous (and orthodox) brethren.

A thought-provoking rethinking of Christianity.