A New Kind of Christianity …

A reader writes:

I wanted to write and thank you for your books and the way that they have accompanied me on my spiritual journey the past decade. I grew up in Evangelical Christianity and initially went to a bible college before getting a degree in Youth Ministry at another Christian college. I worked as an associate youth pastor for a year at a church after graduation. I was first introduced to your books when I was a senior in college. Some of my friends in the religion department were reading your books and recommended them, although other students warned me about them. Going through college, getting a ministry degree and working at a church, I found myself growing more and more disillusioned with the faith I had grown up with. I wanted to thank you for making me feel like there was still a place for me in the faith and that I could still consider myself a christian. Throughout the years I feel like your books have articulated the messy thoughts I have had and been working through and all this has culminated in A New Kind of Christianity. Reading this book I realized that my issue over the years was with the Greco Roman narrative and the bible being read as a legal constitution. A few years ago I quit working at the church and did a year-long volunteer program working in [my city]. During that year and since then I feel like so much of what I grew up with has been deconstructed and questioned but often I feel like I have been rendered inactive and feel stuck in place, not knowing what to do next. I greatly appreciated your [tenth] step and your words about what it looks like to translate the quest into action and living the questions in community. Reading the book I felt energized to move forward and excited about doing so. Thank you so much for making me feel that there is room for me still in the faith and thank you for making me feel like I wasn’t crazy or the only person wrestling with certain thoughts, ideas and theological issues. I will continue to consider you a trusted guide on this quest, thanks again!!