Unafraid: Moving Beyond Fear-Based Faith

by Benjamin L. Corey

Overview

The creator of the popular Formerly Fundie blog on Patheos explains how the "American Christianity" we are currently taught is actually a fear-saturated distortion of biblical faith.

Benjamin L. Corey thought he was suffering a crisis of faith, but it turned out to be a spiritual awakening.

Corey became aware that the constant fear of hell and judgment that defined his Christian faith was out of sync with the idea that God acts from love, and promises to deliver us from fear. In the wake of this realization came newfound insights—from reading the Bible to re-examining American life and the church's role in the wider world. Corey learned that what he had been taught was a distorted version of Christianity that was not only untrue but caused real spiritual harm.

He also discovered that he wasn’t alone. Many Christians are yearning to distinguish between the Christianity that has become a rigid American civil religion and the authentic Christian faith embodied in Jesus. As he recounts his own spiritual journey, Corey offers a powerful and inspiring message of hope for every Christian increasingly frustrated with the church today. Do not be discouraged, he assures them. You do not need to give up your faith; you can rediscover the reality of a vibrant Christianity that delivers us from fear and inspires and guides us all today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062471598
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/07/2017
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	680 KB

About the Author

Benjamin L. Corey is an author, speaker, scholar, and Patheos blogger who is interviewed and quoted regularly across all media. He is the author of Undiluted: Rediscovering the Radical Message of Jesus and holds two graduate degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a doctorate in intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. He lives in Auburn, Maine.

Table of Contents

1 A Spiritual Midlife Crisis 1

2 The God I Just Couldn't Believe In Anymore 23

3 When the Word of God Isn't What You Thought It Was 45

4 Discovering You're More Than Just a Sinner 75

5 Ending the End Times Narrative 99

6 Following Jesus Instead of the Tribe 125

7 Faith Doesn't Come with a Bubble Sheet and a No. 2 Pencil 153

8 When You Have Faith Ass-Backward 177

9 Where Jesus Likes to Show Up in a Story 203

Acknowledgments 221

Notes 225

Editorial Reviews

As Corey points out, too many of us say ‘God is Love’ but actually believe in a God who is Fear. Through these pages find a new path to love.” — Diana Butler Bass, author of Grounded: Finding God in the World, A Spiritual Revolution

“Offers a life-boat to Christians who have been taught a frightening caricature of biblical faith and to recognize gospel faith that is joyous, life-affirming, and emancipatory.” — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary

“Will help many, many people retain or recover their Christian faith.” — Brian Zahnd, pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri, and author of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

“Feels like a conversation you’d have with a good friend.  This vulnerable and engaging book puts into words what many Christians have felt too afraid to say.” — Caleb Wilde, author of Confessions of a Funeral Director

“In this compassionate book, Corey reminds us that we can face life unafraid.” — Carol Howard Merritt, author of Healing Spiritual Wounds

“Whether you are paralyzed by spiritual fear or running from a God you no longer understand, Unafraid is a pause in the midst of panic—a chance to breathe into breakthrough.” — Reba Riley, author of Post Traumatic Church Syndrome

“Vulnerable, passionate, and honest, Corey empowers us to let go of our anxieties, to take a chance on believing again, and to experience God with utter freedom, the way we were meant to.” — Matthew Paul Turner, bestselling author of When God Made You, Churched, and Hear No Evil

“Benjamin L. Corey is the fresh new voice that is going to lead the next generation of Jesus followers into a more beautiful expression of Christianity.” — Frank Schaeffer, New York Times best-selling author of Keeping Faith

“A powerful resource for Christians wanting to fully embrace the unconditional love of God.” — Kristen Howerton, blogger at Rage Against the Minivan

“Shows us what it means to explore our faith and embrace life. Unafraid leads us to find an authentic and life-giving faith that isn’t determined by needing to have it all right.” — Trey Pearson, Christian musician

“One of the Best Books of 2017.” — Englewood Review of Books

From the Publisher

Vulnerable, passionate, and honest, Corey empowers us to let go of our anxieties, to take a chance on believing again, and to experience God with utter freedom, the way we were meant to.

Matthew Paul Turner

Offers a life-boat to Christians who have been taught a frightening caricature of biblical faith and to recognize gospel faith that is joyous, life-affirming, and emancipatory.

Walter Brueggemann

Benjamin L. Corey is the fresh new voice that is going to lead the next generation of Jesus followers into a more beautiful expression of Christianity.

Frank Schaeffer

Feels like a conversation you’d have with a good friend.  This vulnerable and engaging book puts into words what many Christians have felt too afraid to say.

Caleb Wilde

Will help many, many people retain or recover their Christian faith.

Brian Zahnd

As Corey points out, too many of us say ‘God is Love’ but actually believe in a God who is Fear. Through these pages find a new path to love.

Diana Butler Bass

A powerful resource for Christians wanting to fully embrace the unconditional love of God.

Kristen Howerton

In this compassionate book, Corey reminds us that we can face life unafraid.

Carol Howard Merritt

Whether you are paralyzed by spiritual fear or running from a God you no longer understand, Unafraid is a pause in the midst of panic—a chance to breathe into breakthrough.

Reba Riley

Shows us what it means to explore our faith and embrace life. Unafraid leads us to find an authentic and life-giving faith that isn’t determined by needing to have it all right.

Trey Pearson

One of the Best Books of 2017.

Englewood Review of Books

Shows you a way out of fear-based faith that doesn’t require you to lose your faith, but rather, to rediscover it as something bigger, better, and more alive.

Brian D. McLaren