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The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith Paperback – August 17, 2004

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Marcus J. Borg (Author)
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4.3 out of 5 stars 231 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 234 pages
  • Publisher: HarperOne; Reprint edition (July 21, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060730684
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060730680
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (231 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe Heart of Christianity
By Stephen L. Smith on July 27, 2004
Format: Hardcover
I've read all of Marcus Borg's books and have recently read "The Heart of Christianity". From a conservative evangelical background, I have always strugged with his approach, yet I keep coming back for more. He has helped me grow in my faith, and be open to see things from other angles. Despite his orthodox/unorthodox theology, there is a spirituality in this book, that cuts to my heart. He is all about actually experienceing Christianity in this life, and I find his writing to have a spiritual quality that, for some reason, comes home to me. I may not ever agree with all he writes, but he lifts the faith beyond the factual to the experiential and to its root. I heartily recommend this book to everyone wishing to grow and struggle in faith.
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3.0 out of 5 starsA mixed bag
By J Lee Harshbarger on October 1, 2006
Format: Paperback
Our church, an evangelical congregation (Vineyard), had a Lenten book study with an Episcopal church in town this past spring. We studied three books: this one, "The Divine Conspiracy" by Dallas Willard, and "A Generous Orthodoxy" by Brian McLaren. Our pastor introduced the books to our congregation in this way: "'The Divine Conspiracy' goes right to the heart of our beliefs at this Vineyard church; 'The Heart Of Christianity' is something that our friends at the Episcopal church would feel at home with, and 'A Generous Orthodoxy' is somewhere inbetween the two."

This is the second book that I can remember reading by a liberal Christian. The first book, which I also read this year and read before this one, was "A New Christianity For A New World" by Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong. I found that book to be heretical, turning Christianity into something completely unrecognizable in light of the Bible. I feared that "The Heart Of Christianity" would get me worked up, too, especially coming from an author of The Jesus Seminar. I was surprised that I found some things in this book that I really liked, and overall, I got more out of this book than McLaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy," even though I was most excited about reading that book.

You know how some CDs you buy have some really great songs and some songs that you find either boring or you can't stand them, so you always skip them? Yet, overall the CD is worth buying because the good songs are so good. Well, that's how I feel about this book. Some chapters I was mesmerized by the incredibly enlightening message; other chapters I found to be way off the mark.

The first chapter that impressed me was chapter 2, "Faith: The Way Of The Heart.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsChristianity at its best...
By Don Smith on October 8, 2003
Format: Hardcover
I just finished reading Marcus Borg's new book "The Heart of Christianity" and it's the best book on contemporary Christianity that I've read in a long while.
Borg talks about the "earlier paradigm" of Christianity and an "emerging paradigm". He discusses the history of the "earlier paradigm" and provides useful insights such as the rather recent notions of Biblical infallibility (post-Enlightenment) and Papal infallibility (1870) which many may assume have ALWAYS been a big part of the Christian tradition.
Borg makes quite clear early on in the book that the "earlier paradigm" can and does WORK, insofar as bringing people into fuller communion with God and can certainly produce lives which work for compassion and justice. However, for various reasons (institutional, scientific, and cultural - for example), many in the modern Western world find the "earlier paradigm" to be uncompelling and "unbelievable".
Borg attempts to show throughout the book how much more deep and wonderful the Christian tradition is than merely "believing" certain doctrines or defending the literalness of certain events (creation, the flood, the Exodus, walking on water etc...) in order to "prove" the strength of our faith. Did the Exodus really happen? Maybe not. Is it a true story of the human need for liberation from bondage - certainly. Confusing "did it really happen - could I have videotaped it?" with "Is that story true?" is a big issue.
Borg argues that we diminish our faith stories by making them merely literal. He pushes for the "more-than-literal" meanings in the Christian scripture.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsLearn how YOU can live passionately as a Christian
By FaithfulReader.com on May 16, 2004
Format: Hardcover
Evangelicals beware --- this is the same Marcus Borg of the Jesus Seminar, the one who has categorically stated that he does not believe that Christianity is the only path of salvation, that the Bible is the Word of God, that Jesus experienced a bodily resurrection, or that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God. So why review this book? Why give him any cyber ink at all?

There are any number of reasons why evangelicals need to be aware of what Borg believes and what he has written, not the least of which is his tremendous influence on non-evangelicals, particularly those who have left mainstream denominations but still long for a way to express what faith they have left. Borg offers them a way of returning to the church that does not require them to adhere to a rigid set of beliefs that they have long considered suspect. And he's very good at what he does and how he does it; his books always sell well, and he is constantly in demand as a speaker. He has a knack for welcoming people "home" --- to mainline churches --- in a warm and compassionate way.

In THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY, Borg lays down a welcome mat that has already proven attractive to those who have been disenchanted with what they perceive as an anti-intellectual faith. His welcome mat encourages people to give Christianity another chance because the times have changed, and from those changes a new, inclusive paradigm has emerged. Christianity, he holds, is no longer about a belief in a set of doctrines but about "loving God and loving what God loves."

That said, Borg never demeans those who do hold to a strong doctrinal stance and a literal interpretation of the Bible, much of which he considers to be metaphorical.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA brilliant reflection on the transition in thinking in religion today

A brilliant reflection on the transition in thinking in religion today. It honors traditional thinking while inviting readers to consider transforming their understanding based on... Read more

Published 7 days ago by K. T. Connor, PhD
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Very good approach to being a Christian today.

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsBorg does an excellent job of presenting a credible

I'd only been exposed to one "version" of Christian belief - a somewhat conservative one. Borg does an excellent job of presenting a credible, cohesive alternative. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Sarah B.
5.0 out of 5 starsFantastic

Amazing book. I'm dipping my toes in the water with religion and this is a fantastic resource for anyone who feels like they have to take huge logic leaps or even turn off parts of... Read more

Published 3 months ago by Alex Tyler
5.0 out of 5 starsMarco Borg is an excellent scholar who is able to illustrate the...

Marco Borg is an excellent scholar who is able to illustrate the questions that many of us have about our faith in a way that allows the reader to explore further their faith... Read more

Published 4 months ago by RKanenaka
4.0 out of 5 starsChallenging and profound

My Christian faith of several decades has undergone not a little deconstruction and reconstruction these past few years. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Lionel Cartwright
5.0 out of 5 starsMarcus Borg can't be beat!

This is a must-read for anyone interested in progressive Christianity. Marcus Borg can't be beat!

Published 4 months ago by Island Girl
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Very informative and clearly written

Published 5 months ago by Sandra V. Marshall
2.0 out of 5 starsA Failed Attempt to Reform the Christian Religion

I have tried to be a Liberal Christian, but I have found that Liberal Christian theologians, after deconstructing the Evangelical perspective, do not provide a genuinely viable... Read more

Published 6 months ago by Adrian
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

new insights into belief systems - adds perspective

Published 6 months ago by Don Kilmark

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