Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
When religion writer Jonathan Merritt moves from the Bible Belt to New York City, he runs into an unexpected language barrier. Whenever conversations turned to faith, his words became stilted. Words, both ancient and modern, that Jonathan had utilized for decades to describe matters of the soul no longer translated to those he encountered.
As America rapidly transitions culturally, modern believers struggle to talk about faith and their relationships with God in ways where understanding of terms like grace or gospel can no longer be assumed. Some words have become so negative they are nearly conversation-enders. The desire to help bridge this communication gap sends Jonathan on a quest to excavate anew some of the most meaningful words in a believer's dictionary.
In this groundbreaking work, one of America's most prolific religion writers breathes new life into ancient expressions through a combination of cultural commentary, vulnerable personal narratives and surprising Biblical insights.
Synopsis
In a rapidly changing culture, many of us struggle to talk about faith. We can no longer assume our friends understand words such as
grace or
gospel. Others, like
lost and
sin, have become so negative they are nearly conversation-enders.
Jonathan Merritt knows this frustration well. After moving from the Bible Belt to New York City, he discovered that the sacred terms he used to describe his spiritual life didn't connect as they had in the past. This launched him into an exploration of an increasing American reluctance to talk about faith--and the data he uncovered revealed a quiet crisis of affecting millions.
In this groundbreaking book, Jonathan revives ancient expressions through incisive cultural commentary, vulnerable personal narratives, and surprising biblical insights. Both provocative and liberating, Learning to Speak God from Scratch will breathe new life into your spiritual conversations and invite you into the embrace of the God who inhabits them.