Good News for Anxious Christians: 10 Practical Things You Don't Have to Do [Paperback]

Phillip Cary (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

Like a succession of failed diet regimens, the much-touted techniques that are supposed to bring us closer to God "in our hearts" can instead make us feel anxious, frustrated, and overwhelmed. How can we meet and know God with ongoing joy rather than experiencing the Christian life as a series of guilt-inducing disappointments?

Phillip Cary explains that knowing God is a gradual, long-term process that comes through the Bible experienced in Christian community, not a to-do list designed to help us live the Christian life "right." This clearly written book covers ten things Christians don't have to do to be close to God, such as hear God's voice in their hearts, find God's will for their lives, and believe their intuitions are the Holy Spirit. Cary skillfully unpacks the riches of traditional Christian spirituality, bringing the real good news to Christians of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

10 Things You Don't Have to Do to Be Close to God

Like a succession of failed diet regimens, the much-touted techniques that are supposed to bring us closer to God "in our hearts" can instead make us feel anxious, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Phillip Cary explains that discipleship is a gradual, long-term process that comes through the Bible experienced in Christian community, not a to-do list designed to help us live the Christian life "right." He covers ten things we don't have to do to be close to God, skillfully unpacking the riches of traditional Christian spirituality to bring the real good news to Christians of all ages.

"Yes! No! Whoa! There are so many terrific, alarming, insightful zingers in this book that I agreed, disagreed and, most of all, had to think about something on every page. Graceful and liberating, it is a word of wisdom and hope that just might convince anxious Christians that the gospel really is better news than we've yet imagined."--Andy Crouch, senior editor, Christianity Today International; author, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling

"Evangelicals worry about lots of things, including the state of our spiritual health. Phil Cary is worried too: worried that evangelicals are suffering needlessly because they have imbibed a consumerist spirituality that offers much but provides little. Phil's prescription for spiritual indigestion? A turning away from the self to the one who continually speaks a healing, saving word to us, Christ himself. This is, quite frankly, one of the best books I've read on the spiritual life over the past twenty-five years. I heartily recommend it."--Christopher A. Hall, chancellor, Eastern University

"Phillip Cary has clearly and convincingly explained why so many evangelicals are anxious and believe they may be failing at faith. I highly recommend this book to my fellow Christian counselors and self-doubting Christians because Cary richly explains the comforting good news of our identity in Christ. He thus provides a solid theological basis for correcting many deeply distorted beliefs about the self which propagate anxiety. This book provides the best treatment of this subject that I have ever read."--Christopher Doriani, licensed clinical social worker

About the Author

Phillip Cary (PhD, Yale University) is professor of philosophy at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, as well as scholar-in-residence at the Templeton Honors College. He is the author of Jonah in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible and of three critically acclaimed books on the life and thought of Augustine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587432854
• ISBN-13: 978-1587432859
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #297,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Far More Than I Expected December 8, 2010

By Darryl Dash

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I wouldn't have bought this book based on its title. "Good News for Anxious Christians" sounds like another Christian living book. Nothing against those books, but I've stopped reading most of them. And I sure don't need another one in my library.

But the subtitle drops some hints that this isn't just another one of those books. "10 Practical Things You Don'tHave to Do" makes it sound like a practical how-to book, until you think about it. "Don't have to do." This is a book that tells you to stop doing some practical things, things that are not found in the Bible, things that are making you anxious and weakening your faith in Christ - things that are taught in many of our churches.

In other words, this is a book that wants to rid you of practices that are rooted in bad theology. I knew this book would be different as soon as I began reading the preface:

"I suppose in some ways this book is a stealth attempt to preach the gospel, disguised as an attack on what I call 'the new evangelical theology.' So let me give away what I'm doing right away, so no one will be misled by the disguise and think the whole purpose of the book is negative."

"I'm trying to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Christians. I'd like us all to be free to rely on the gospel rather than to put our trust in a supposedly "practical" ideas that are actually doing us harm."

What are some of the practical ideas that he debunks? Ones that are surprisingly common: that we should listen for the voice of God inside; that we need to let go and let God; that we need to find God's perfect will for our lives; that we should always experience joy; that we should focus on what we should do (application) more than on what Christ has done.... We've been trained to accept a set of practical ideas or techniques in the Christian life. They "work," but not as they should. Phillip Cary, the author, helps us understand that they're not biblical, that they're weakening our faith, and that they're making us anxious.

The alternative? Cary continually draws us away from ourselves and back to Christ and his gospel. "What the gospel of Christ does is give us Christ, and that is enough," he writes. "It's our job to keep preaching the gospel of Christ to one another."

This is a great book for every believer, but it's also a great book for pastors. It helps pastors understand how we've been sucked into a focus on techniques and practices that are making us anxious. Chapter 9 on preaching is called, "Why `Applying It to Your Life' is Boring, Or, How the Gospel is Beautiful." This chapter alone is worth the price of the book, and every pastor should read it.

Cary leads us to the Sabbath rest that we find in Jesus. It's a rest that is about what we don't do, about what has been done for us by Him. "Every time we turn to Christ in faith," he writes, "it is like a moment of Sabbath, a little foretaste of eternal rest and glory." This continual turning to Christ is the antidote to our anxiety, and is truly good news for anxious Christians - and pastors.

This book isn't what I expected. It was far more. If you're looking for a good example of stealth-mode gospel-centered teaching, this is it. You may find yourself less anxious, and more enraptured with the beauty of Christ, who truly is everything that we need. Read more ›

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes. November 13, 2010

By tarajo-eastern

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was excited to buy this book, and it did not disappoint. Phillip Cary was one of my professors at Eastern University-- and probably the one that influenced my faith & encouraged me in it the most. His view of Christianity is simple: being a Christian is believing in and participating in the story and promises of Jesus. Being a Christian is NOT ascribing to current church trends and forcing yourself to believe in things that don't make sense. Cary, more so than any other Christian thinker I've listened to, gave me the freedom to think critically and still believe I'm a Christian.

I'm part of his intended audience: 20-something evangelicals who are doubting their faith because they're tired of playing the "mental gymnastics" they learned were essential to being Christians as teenagers. I bought this book because I thought Dr. Cary's words would be an encouragement to me now, as they were in college. I was right. I would recommend this book to peers coming from the same background.

I would also recommend it to youth leaders-- both as a check and an encouragement.

My only problem with it was that it was a bit repetitive at times. At certain points I felt like it was written in a way that anticipated I'd put it down mid-chapter and come back to it later, not remembering what had just been said. So that was a little annoying.

But overall, I found it to be a very encouraging book.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Must Read January 15, 2011

By John R. Bowling

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you've ever felt distant from God and wondered what you have to "do" to get back on track, what you need to "do" is read this book :)

Cary argues that some of the most common things we are hearing in evangelicalism (or what Cary labels "new evangelicalism"), like hearing God in your heart, letting go and letting God, finding God's will, and experiencing God, are untrue and even harmful ideas. Cary believes that in different ways these ideas shift our focus onto ourselves rather than Christ and the good news of the Gospel.

Most people will find something controversial in at least one of Cary's chapters, leaving them thinking "Is that true?" and "But what about the verse that says...?" This last question ("But what about the verse...") is the most important. The fact that Cary doesn't provide thorough arguments from Scripture and rebuttals of common texts that "new evangelicalism" appeals to is the book's weakest point. And if it weren't for the fact that Cary manages to be largely persuasive despite this, I would have given the book only three stars instead of four.

Cary *does* provide some arguments from Scripture and *does*, at least on one occasion that I can remember, offer an alternative understanding of what you might call a "new evangelical proof text," but the reader will still be left with a lot of unanswered questions. And even if a person doesn't find Cary's arguments persuasive, I think they would still benefit greatly from the book as a balance (to say "hearing God in your heart") rather than a refutation.

Cary's alternative to the new evangelical theology is persuasive enough and distinctive enough that it needs to be heard and wrestled with by any Christian wondering about "finding God's will" or struggling with their Christian experience.... This is why I think the book is a must read even though I'm not sure I agree with all of it and I have some "But what about the verse..." questions of my own. But finishing on a positive note, even apart from Cary's main thesis, his insights into topics like the nature of love that can be isolated from the main thrust of the book are valuable in themselves and sometimes even astounding. Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Work For More Than Just College Kids January 30, 2012

By rpooka

Format:Paperback

This book is wonderful. Good News for Anxious Christians levels both barrels of theology and philosophy at a twisted system of religion that has overgrown our churches and lives. Philip Cary does an amazing job of tackling the little stuff, rolling it all up into the big stuff and then delivers paragraph after paragraph of convicting, convincing thought that should serve to turn the reader to the real Gospel, real Biblical faith, piety and the real church.

The material in this book is perfect for young and old readers from all periods of the faith - from just-saved to been-saved-a-while. Cary covers all the ground, from worship to pastors, thinking to feeling and just ties it all together so nicely that one must simply sit back, put the book down and chew for a while on the words he turns.

As advertised, the book is chock-full of zingers and eye-grabbing lines. But this, as well as the didactic theory all blends together in what appears to be a carefully calculated sequence of arguments. The first 4 chapters or so may well seem to drag, but the reader will suddenly find himself hit with the entire pile of thinking all of a sudden in later chapters - everything is very well linked and builds upon previous bits until it's just about perfect.

You won't go to church or read your Bible or talk about your faith the same way again after reading this book. Highest recommendation. I'd call it the book of the year if I had any clout at all.

Thank you, Mr. Cary.