Patheos
  • GO
  • Beliefs
    • Buddhist
    • Catholic
    • Contemplative
    • Evangelical
    • General Christian
    • Hindu
    • Jewish
    • Latter-day Saint
    • Muslim
    • New Visions
    • Nonreligious
    • Pagan
    • Progressive Christian
    • More Voices
  • Topics
    • Entertainment
    • Book Club
    • Docs/ology
    • Movie Club
    • Family and Relationships
    • Life Events
    • Politics Blue
    • Politics Red
    • Public Square
    • Religion Lost and Found Essay Competition
    • More Topics
    • Trending Now

    • Identity Politics vs. Transactional Politics
      Gene Veith
    • How Jesus Empowered Women (And Christians Re-Enslaved...
      Keith Giles
  • Columnists
  • Library
    • NEW! Patheos Answers
    • Faith Leaders Database
    • Research Tools
    • Comparison Lens
    • Preacher Resources
    • Teacher Resources
    • Anglican/Episcopalian
    • Baha'i
    • Baptist
    • Buddhism
    • Christianity
    • Confucianism
    • Eastern Orthodoxy
    • Hinduism
    • Holiness and Pentecostal
    • ISKCON
    • Islam
    • Judaism
    • Lutheran
    • Methodist
    • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
    • New Age
    • Paganism
    • Presbyterian and Reformed
    • Protestantism
    • Roman Catholic
    • Scientology
    • Shi'a Islam
    • Sikhism
    • Sufism
    • Sunni Islam
    • Taoism
    • Zen
    see all religions
  • newsletters
  • Ad-Free LogIn
  • More
    • Pastors and Church Leaders Resource Center

    • Church and ministry leadership resources to better equip, train and provide ideas for today's church and ministry leaders, like you.

      visit section now
    • Resources For the Faith Seeker
    • E-Books and Other Special Offers
    • 7 Day Prayer Challenge for Spouses
    • A Different Kind of Christian
    • Jesus Is Love
    • Pastors and Church Leaders
    • Prayer Devotional
    • The Saints We Love
    • Who Is God?

Butterflies in the Belfry—Serpents in the Cellar

An Intentional Quest for a Natural Christianity

by J. Michael Jones

In 1988, Michael Jones moved his family to the Middle East to be
missionaries to Muslims as part of one of the most demanding
Christian organizations. Michael found the Muslim people to be
extremely hospitable, but discovered serious flaws within his own
evangelical worldview. After a catastrophic collapse of faith, standing
in middle of the post-evangelical wilderness, Michael contemplates
the possible paths out, including returning to agnosticism or even
suicide. Michael takes the reader on an intimate yet intellectually enthralling
journey through his personal history and the history of Western
civilization. In the end, not only does he find the answers to his
personal dilemma, but, inadvertently, he discovers a refreshing form
of Christianity, that has been forgotten. | read more»

Buy The Book

About the Book and Author

J. Michael Jones takes the reader on an intimate yet intellectually enthralling journey through his personal history and the history of Western civilization. | read more »

Read an Excerpt From "Butterflies in the Belfry—Serpents in the Cellar"

Click, click, click … the fabric of all I knew of God was falling apart and falling downward into oblivion. I begged the heavens for someone, anyone, to answer me. I heard nothing save a barking dog in a distant flat and the braying of the donkeys pulling the old two-wheeled carts where garbage-collecting children rode in the shadowy streets of predawn. | read more »
Trailer: Butterflies in the Belfry--Serpents in the Cellar
Get The Patheos Book Club Newsletter

Get the latest from Patheos Book Club by signing up for our unique and thought-provoking newsletter.

Please also opt me in for Exclusive Offers from Patheos’s Partners Privacy and Data Policy
From time to time you will also receive Special Offers from our partners that help us make this content free for you. You can opt out of these offers at any time.
see all our newsletters
Featured Blogs
Evangelical
Don't waste your trial: Learning lessons from your hard place
David Rupert
Your pain, your trial is real. But this time in your life is the perfect opportunity to that...
Evangelical
Losing the cultural battle? Here's an idea -- Let's sing
David Rupert
Do you think that your identity is being sucked away by the culture? Do you hurt for a world...
Patheos Logo Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Service
  • Do Not Sell My Data
  • Contact Us
  • Follow Us on Facebook
  • Find Us on YouTube
  • Manage Subscriptions
  • Unsubscribe From Notifications
Copyright 2008-2021, Patheos. All rights reserved.