Have you noticed when talking to non-Christians that often what they object to is what you object to yourself? That their objections to the faith are often based on complete misconceptions about what Christianity is and what it teaches? There is so much confusion about Christianity–including on the part of Christians–that the first task for an apologist or teacher is simply to clarify. That is, to clear away the confusions. Once the two of you attain clarity about what you are talking about, the conversation can be more fruitful.
A. Trevor Sutton, my co-author on Authentic Christianity, has written a book just published by Concordia Publishing House called Clearly Christian: Following Jesus in This Age of Confusion.
He deals with the common confusions about Christianity. Here he mentions the main confusions that he treats in this book:
“Being a Christian is about being a good person, rejecting the physical world, following old-fashioned traditions, judging others, and checking your brain at the front door of the church, finding happiness, being overly political, and winning arguments. If you want to be part of this community, then you must subscribe to these tenets.” (p. xv)
In each chapter, he discusses each confusion, moving to clarity and how we can embody this “clear” Christianity in everyday life. In the first two chapters, he talks about “confusion” and observes, in a survey of church history, that clearing up confusions is a big part of what theologians have always done. Then he takes up each of today’s common confusions about Christianity.
This list of chapters, which gives both the confusion and the “clear” version of the topic, will give you an idea where he is going with each point:
Chapter 3 Good
Clear = More Jesus
Chapter 4 Spiritual
Clear = Embrace creation
Chapter 5 Old Fashioned
Clear = Own the Truth
Chapter 6 Judgmental
Clear = Be charitable
Chapter 7 Brainless
Clear = Learn Apologetics
Chapter 8 Happiness
Clear = Be joyful
Chapter 9 Political
Clear: Active Citizenship
Chapter 10 Winning
Clear: Love Others
Trevor is culture-savvy, with striking insights about how technology and contemporary culture relate to each other. We now have ever-greater reasons to get confused. Trevor helps us untangle them, doing so with a style that is lively, engaging, and, above all, clear.
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