Have you ever seriously questioned Christianity?
If so, you’re not alone. A lot of people have wondered if this faith is outdated . . . irrelevant . . . maybe even harmful. But what if everything is not as it seems? What if there’s more to the story?
Questioning Christianity explores the nature and relevance of the Christian story in an accessible and compelling way. No slogans. No politics. No simple solutions to complex problems. After many years of exploring issues of faith with skeptics, seekers, and new believers, Dan Paterson and Rian Roux serve as guides to help you navigate what can be a disorienting and confusing journey.
Perhaps you’re feeling lost, unable to find your bearings, and you need some help to map out the terrain around you. Or maybe you’ve encountered obstacles and have hard questions that need to be addressed before you can move ahead. Whatever it is that has made you curious about this faith, there are good answers waiting to be discovered. So go ahead. Question Christianity. Just give Christianity the chance to answer back.
For the curious…
Do you or your friends have questions about faith and spirituality? We believe that truth invites questioning… and therefore no questions are off the table. We also believe that doubt is normal and may actually be a helpful and healthy process for people to go through. Why? Because we shouldn’t always believe everything we have been told. Sometimes we should pause and think… what if there is more to the story?
This book has been designed to help the curious ask away at the Christian story and decide for themselves whether or not it is reasonable and relevant to their life. With no assumptions about the reader, and no knowledge taken for granted, Part 1 of this book starts at the very beginning and retells the grand narrative behind the world’s largest faith. Part 2 allows the reader to practically explore what it might look like if they were to step into the story themselves, and Part 3 deals specifically with the most pressing objections to the credibility of the story.
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For church leaders
This book was written out of pastoral need. As pastors in church ministry we had lost count of the number of times we were asked what book we would recommend to someone who is questioning the relevance of the Christian story, or who is struggling to find their feet as a newcomer to Christ, or who has all kinds of barriers to being able to trust in the goodness of God. We wished we knew of a book that could do all three at once. One that resonated from the outset with the dynamics of our post-Christian cultural moment and was subversively unafraid to open up the Christian story to scrutiny. Something that offered guidance without being overly prescriptive, and provided substantive answers without being overly dense or academic. A book that retold Christian truth with a distinctively Christian accent, seeking to persuade with the beauty and hope of our timeless gospel.
We had trouble finding this resource, so we set out to write it ourselves. And we gave it out our best shot. Designed in three accessible parts, this book takes a narrative approach to evangelism, discipleship and apologetics. We hope it will be helpful for friends across the various traditions of the church as a welcome gift or as a resource in outreach and discipleship ministries.
NOTE: For bulk purchase discounts contact Moody Publishers directly.
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For educators
For over 15 years, we have been involved with young people as they traverse the various transitions of life after school. Whether in homes, pubs, schools or universities we have been listening and learning from de-churched, dissillusioned and disconnected teenagers and young adults. We have written this book with their hearts and minds at the forefront our imagination.
We have also seen many young people who are enraptured by the Christian story and drawn to its central character, Jesus of Nazareth. We have seen them become convinced by how it speaks to their deepest questions and compelled by the sense of adventure it awakens.
This book is designed to support educators as they introduce young people to the theological, existential and practical dimensions of the Christian faith. Whether used as a curricular, co-curricular or extra-curricular resource, it will help build strong foundations and equip students for the road that lies ahead.
NOTE: For bulk purchase discounts contact Moody Publishers directly.
For parachurch and everyday missionaries
One of the most exciting questions we have been asked is this: “Can you tell me more?” Whether in remote mountains, desert plains or inner city neighborhoods it has been our privilege to explain that when it comes to Christianity - there is more to the story!
This book is our attempt to frame the Gospel in such a way that it eases the mind and then speaks to the heart. Whether you are walking the frontiers of uncharted landscapes or breaking new ground in common places, we hope this book encourages and supports you and your ministry.
NOTE: For bulk purchase discounts Moody Publishers directly.
Photo by Chris Bulilan on Unsplash
“Each encounter recorded in the Gospels serves as a muse to imagine how different the world would be if we followed God’s wisdom and were animated by God’s presence. To the bewilderment of the elite and the establishment, Jesus flipped the social ladder by embracing the ostracized, marginalized, and forgotten. He validated the voices and vocation of women and dignified children by holding them up as examples.”
Questioning Christianity, Page 44
What People Are Saying
“Buy a dozen copies of this book and give them away to all those friends of yours who have ever asked, “Have you got a clear, easy-to-read book that explains the Christian faith in a way that makes sense to someone like me?” because this warm, winsome retelling of the Christian story by two down-to-earth guys fits the bill perfectly.”
— Michael Frost
“I’m confident Questioning Christianity will stretch and encourage all who read it.”
— Sam Allberry
“Dan and Rian have written a thoughtful and helpful book. As apologetic questions continue to shift with emerging generations, they give both fresh and potent answers to the longings of our world today. I am sure this will help many.”
— Jon Tyson
“With warmth and wit, Dan and Rian have written Questioning Christianity to help us navigate life’s deepest questions and reflect on the possibility that Jesus offers the world real and tangible hope. Read it and share it with others I think this book could become a classic of our time.”
— Amy Orr-Ewing
“This is a comprehensive, nuanced, and yet easy-to-read overview of the better story that Jesus offers all of us. This story offers us freedom, hope, and forgiveness.”
— Sam Chan
“Whether you are outright skeptical, or a new Christian seeking to better understand the story that has begun to make sense of why you are on this earth, Questioning Christianity is the book that I want to put into your hands.”
— Adam Ramsey
About the Authors
Rian Roux
Originally from South Africa, Rian spent his adolescence in a small fishing and farming community in the far north of Australia. Intrigued by the stories that shape our lives, he travelled widely and pursued studies in Applied Science, Education, and Theology. After a year at Oxford University, he commenced a PhD in Australia with a focus on transformative learning and student leadership development in higher education. Rian has experience in pastoral ministry, teaching, and business and currently lives and works in Toowoomba with his wife, Sally, and their three children.
Dan Paterson
Dan is a Christian thinker and the founder of Questioning Christianity, a ministry connecting the Christian story to life's deepest questions. After becoming a Christian through personally wrestling with hard questions, he has earned several university qualifications in Theology and Apologetics in Australia and Oxford. Dan is fuelled by a passion to help others process their doubts and discover the relevance and reasonableness of faith in Jesus, and speaks regularly to audiences around Australia and beyond. Dan is based in Brisbane, where together with his wife, Erin, their favorite job is raising three boys.