Help My Unbelief - Softcover

Rutledge, Fleming

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802885837 ISBN 13: 9780802885838

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2020

Synopsis

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Nothing has motivated Fleming Rutledge in her preaching more than addressing people’s struggles with doubt. Now with a new preface from the author, Help My Unbelief speaks directly to the “faithful doubters” and the “unbelieving believers” of the church who wrestle with questions and uncertainties about Christian faith. What if I’m not very religious? Why isn’t it enough just to be good and loving? How can I respond to an abstraction like the Trinity? Isn’t Christianity outmoded? Can we still believe in the Resurrection today? Fleming Rutledge approaches these questions with a combination of pastoral warmth and theological fearlessness, aligning herself with those seeking answers and pointing readers toward the One who creates and sustains faith. Table of Contents Introduction: “Help My Unbelief” (Mark 9:24) THE NATURE OF GOD Haven’t we learned how to deal with the important questions without recourse to the God hypothesis? 1. Moses and Monotheism: A Response to Dr. Freud Doesn’t everybody have his or her own idea of God? 2. Re-imagining and Revelation How can I respond to an abstraction like the Trinity? 3. The Trinity in the Last Ditch GUILT AND INNOCENCE: JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH Isn’t Christianity about being good? 4. Christ vs. Adam: Kosovo and Beyond 5. Death Sentence, Life Sentence What makes us OK with God? 6. Flying First Class Shouldn’t we get rid of the idea that God is judgmental? 7. Access to Peter Didn’t St. Paul mess up the simple gospel of Jesus? 8. Hope Among the Weeds Don’t we need to make Christianity more inclusive? 9. True Inclusiveness 10. Mrs. Hammer, Mrs. Durr, Brother Will, and the Word of Faith Why all the theological apparatus? Isn’t it enough just to be loving? 11. The Faces of Love 12. Love and Power 13. Rewriting the Book of Love THE GOSPEL AND RELIGION What if I’m not very religious? 14. No Religion Here Today 15. The Once and Future Doctrine SIN, EVIL, AND SUFFERING We don’t still talk about sin, do we? 16. God-damned Christians What does the cross mean? 17. Common Sense, or Christ-Crucified? 18. Steering Toward the Pain 19. King, and God, and Sacrifice FAITH AND WORKS If God is doing everything, what is there for us to do? 20. The Resurrection Reach-Out If we focus on eschatology (God’s future), doesn’t that discourage human action in the present? 21. Money in Trust CONTEMPORARY ATTITUDES TOWARD THE GOSPEL Isn’t Christianity outmoded? 22. Can These Bones Live? 23. Nothing Virtual Tonight How can I believe stories like that of the Transfiguration? 24. Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory Can we today continue to believe in the Resurrection? 25. Death Shall Have No Dominion 26. A Way Out of No Way 27. Doubting and Believing Hasn’t the notion of the Second Coming been discarded? 28. Jesus Will Show 29. Beyond the Valley of Ashes Isn’t the Bible patriarchal? 30. Ruth’s Redeemer 31. Abigail’s Strategy 32. Lydia: The First Christian in Europe CODA: TWO STORIES OF LITTLE FAITH GROWN GREAT 33. Gideon’s Three Hundred 34. Even Peter, Even Us

About this title

About the Author

Fleming Rutledge is an Episcopal priest, a best-selling author, and a widely recognized preacher whose published sermon collections have received acclaim across denominational lines. Her other books include Help My Unbelief, Three Hours: Sermons for Good Friday, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ, and The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ, which won Christianity Today's 2017 Book of the Year Award.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0802885837
• ISBN 13: 9780802885838
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 312