If you believe in Jesus, or are thinking about it, do you have to accept all the teachings of the church? And anyway, which church?
Christianity has been around for two millennia, and has morphed and developed in many different cultures over that time. There have been continual reformations, renewals and corrections.
So why might someone believe in Jesus today, and what beliefs might be reasonable for them?
Faith vs doubt
Doubt is a human thing. Some christians grow up being taught things that they find they can no longer believe in their twenties. Some give the whole thing away, others suffer in silence and still others reconstruct their faith, re-assessing what they believe, and can believe.
I have another website, the Way? which offers insights and ideas into doubt and faith reconstruction to assist doubting christians. Last year I prepared a 32 page PDF document which summarises my approach to faith and truth.
Non-believers have doubts too so I thought I should offer this PDF here as well.
Faith for the future
Written primarily for those doubting the faith they were raised in, this booklet outlines why we might choose to believe and what we might believe, and so may also interest thoughtful unbelievers.
It covers intellectual and personal reasons why we might doubt the truth of christianity, and why we might choose to believe. It gives thoughtful and maybe surprising answers to fundamental questions:
- Is there a God and does he love me?
- Is Jesus really the son of God?
- Is the Bible truly God’s Word?
Then it addresses how a thoughtful 21st century christian might understand a number of religious and ethical issues, including:
- Understanding the Bible in this scientific age,
- the end of certainty?
- a form of christianity that may attract you rather than repel you,
- things many modern people can’t believe any more (Old Testament genocide, hell, christian exclusivism, an angry God, and more),
- ethical questions such as patriarchy, gender and the purpose of life.
Download the free 32-page PDF (click on the link and save the PDF file).
Photo: Ohan Badur
