This Good Word, Episode 166: A Flexible Faith with Bonnie Kristian
Bonnie Kristian is a theological and political writer who had columns and bylines at publications including The Week, Rare, Time, CNN, Relevant, Politico, The Hill, ReKnew, and The American Conservative. I talked to her mostly about her new book, A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today. It's a fascinating exploration of how to think about the theological diversity within so much of Christianity, about important issues such as human sexuality, hell, violence, and the atonement. Bonnie somehow finds a way to write about all of these topics - and many more - with a rich generosity and a robust theological framework. If you're struggling to know what to believe and how to believe it, this would be a great book to pick up.Here's a snippet from the Englewood Review of Books:
The book serves those who don’t belong to a church, or to those who are uncomfortable with their own tradition, as well. Kristian provides a lengthy chapter on how “to explore church options and find one to which you can commit wholeheartedly” (227). She thinks through concepts like community, theology, and service style and then introduces some of the prominent denominations, broadly considered. Like much of the book, it is (and is meant to be) a good starting point. Covering this ground should be as helpful for Christians who have become disillusioned with the strictures of their own churches as it is for those new to the faith.Ultimately, Kristian recognizes that all this theological diversity isn’t an inherent good, but that understanding alternate viewpoints can help us more effectively serve God and each other. She doesn’t argue that “all options of faith and practice are equally correct,” but she understands that in our imperfect world, we need to learn to work together across divides. A pastoral heart comes through as she closes the book with optimism; these chapters on seventeen points of doctrine aren’t meant to be simply a resource, but also a way forward. In a demanding time, Kristian’s vision and clarity should aid both thought and conversation. - Justin Colber-Lake, Englewood Review of Books. (Click here to read the rest of the review.
You can get in touch with Bonnie on her website, and you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.