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gbdill's review
5.0
Excellent book. Frank Viola hits a home run with this one.
With some exception, most of Evangelical Christianity can be segmented into two categories. Those on the right/conservative and those on the left/liberal with some variation in between. Evangelical Christianity is typically comprised of four key components: Biblicism, Conversionism, Crucicentrism, and Activism. Beyond Evangelical goes beyond the left/right paradox and focuses on the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ. Living by the indwelling life of Christ. Beyond Evangelical expands upon the evangelical quadrilateral with four additional notes: Christ-centered, Resurrection life-centered, Body life-centered, and Eternal-purpose centered. It appreciates the positive sides to the strengths found in both conservative and liberal Christianity while avoiding its weaknesses. To be clear, Beyond Evangelical is not anti-evangelical, non-evangelical, or post-evangelical. Instead, it takes evangelical and goes a step further entirely releasing itself from the man-made constraints of evangelicalism (theology, denominationalism, doctrine, etc) and relies solely on Christ. In essence, Beyond Evangelical offers a third way. Beyond Evangelical sounds a lot like "Deep Church" by Jim Belcher, but only better. Belcher's view gets muddled in the existing paradigms of left/right Christianity, whereas Beyond Evangelical doesn't.
If you are tired of the bickering, left/right polarization, tribalism, and politics of evangelical Christianity, I highly recommend Beyond Evangelical. It seemingly crushes through these barriers and guides us once again to a very Christ centered life.
Perhaps the best summary of what it means to go "Beyond Evangelical" is this:
"To reject evangelical culture in favor of a more catholic, diverse and ancient expression of the Christian faith, while, adhering to evangelical doctrine without becoming part of team or faction operating under the illusion of superiority to others and a closure of the Christian conversation." (Location 1463 of 1970)
With some exception, most of Evangelical Christianity can be segmented into two categories. Those on the right/conservative and those on the left/liberal with some variation in between. Evangelical Christianity is typically comprised of four key components: Biblicism, Conversionism, Crucicentrism, and Activism. Beyond Evangelical goes beyond the left/right paradox and focuses on the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ. Living by the indwelling life of Christ. Beyond Evangelical expands upon the evangelical quadrilateral with four additional notes: Christ-centered, Resurrection life-centered, Body life-centered, and Eternal-purpose centered. It appreciates the positive sides to the strengths found in both conservative and liberal Christianity while avoiding its weaknesses. To be clear, Beyond Evangelical is not anti-evangelical, non-evangelical, or post-evangelical. Instead, it takes evangelical and goes a step further entirely releasing itself from the man-made constraints of evangelicalism (theology, denominationalism, doctrine, etc) and relies solely on Christ. In essence, Beyond Evangelical offers a third way. Beyond Evangelical sounds a lot like "Deep Church" by Jim Belcher, but only better. Belcher's view gets muddled in the existing paradigms of left/right Christianity, whereas Beyond Evangelical doesn't.
If you are tired of the bickering, left/right polarization, tribalism, and politics of evangelical Christianity, I highly recommend Beyond Evangelical. It seemingly crushes through these barriers and guides us once again to a very Christ centered life.
Perhaps the best summary of what it means to go "Beyond Evangelical" is this:
"To reject evangelical culture in favor of a more catholic, diverse and ancient expression of the Christian faith, while, adhering to evangelical doctrine without becoming part of team or faction operating under the illusion of superiority to others and a closure of the Christian conversation." (Location 1463 of 1970)
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