Speaking Christian

Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power—And How They Can Be Restored

Talking Points

Marcus J. Borg is Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture, Emeritus at Oregon State University and author of the bestselling Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, The Heart of Christianity, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, The God We Never Knew, Jesus, and most recently, the novel Putting Away Childish Things.

Description

Christianity, like any religion, is understood and defined by its language. Yet today, much of Christian language is poorly understood or distorted, leading to a religion that is quickly being stripped of its true meaning. With his clear, accessible style that his fans have come to love, Marcus Borg illustrates how modern Christianity has lost its transforming power: through a literalism that has impoverished the meaning of the Bible, and a misunderstanding of Christianity’s core ideas. Borg offers a way to redeem Christian language from these distortions by reading Scripture through a “historical-metaphorical lens.” This allows us to see Christian language in its ancient historical context and interpret the biblical text in a way that focuses on its religious purpose, therby conveying the words richer and more powerful meaning.