Book group: God outside the Box

GOD OUTSIDE THE BOX: WHY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE OBJECT TO CHRISTIANITY, by Richard Harries (SPCK, 2002).  Former Bishop of Oxford and Professor at Kings College London tackles the big objections that people have towards christian faith.

We’ll be discussing the book on Thursdays at 2 pm for an hour in the Cross Keys Pub, for 4 sessions:

• Thursday 25th May: “The Case against God”
• Thursday 8th June: “Difficulties in Belief”
• Thursday 15th June: “The Case against Religion”
• Thursday 22nd June: “The Case against Christianity” and “Towards a Spirituality for Today”

Is the Church a box from which God has escaped? Are people finding spirituality and relating to God in ways that have nothing to do with the Church?

Men and women today have strong values and beliefs about caring for animals and for the creation, about tolerance for others of different beliefs and customs, and about how we each may live mature and fulfilled lives. They often feel that the Church’s moral teaching does not come up to their standards.

Objections to the traditional Christian view of God and religion include: Christianity focuses on sin and guilt: God’s an egomaniac – he’s designed the world solely for his praise: God sentences people to everlasting punishment: religion keeps people immature: religion is stuck in the past: religion is divisive: the belief in a wise and loving creator is not compatible with the suffering and agony evident in the world.

In ‘God Outside the Box’, Richard Harries takes seriously thoughts and criticisms such as these and answers them in detail. Bishop Harries believes that Christianity has within its treasure store enormous spiritual riches. His book has certainly helped to display some of those riches which modern society desperately needs.       

(Review from The Tablet magazine)