In The Disappearance of God, Dr. Albert Mohler examines “Dangerous Beliefs in the new Spiritual Openness,” as noted in the book’s subtitle. Dr. Mohler warns those who claim faith in Christ of the increasingly pervasive abdication of biblical faith. At the core of the issues facing contemporary Christianity is the danger of a “malleable and changeable belief system that just begs for transformation into some other shape and substance” as our culture embraces tolerance and openness. Dr. Mohler calls for Christians to “Theological Triage,”
Today’s Christian faces the daunting task of strategizing which Christian doctrines and theological issues are to be given highest priority in terms of our contemporary context…God’s truth is to be defended at every point and in every detail, but responsible Christians but determine which issues deserve first-rank attention in a time of theological crisis.
In The Disappearance of God, Mohler addresses first rank issues like:
Is God changing His mind about sin?
Why is hell off limits for many pastors?
What’s good or bad about the emergent movement?
Have Christians stopped seeing God as God?
Are churches pandering to their members to survive?
I know, I know, terms like doctrine and theology make some of us (many of us?) want to cover our ears and run for the nearest People magazine. True, Dr. Mohler deals with some difficult and complex issues but he does so with his usual articulate and careful reasoning. I particularly liked his observances on beauty.
Those familiar with Dr. Mohler’s blog will find little new information here. In fact, the book reads more as a collection of essays, blog posts if you will, collected under the umbrella of common subject matter but not really as a single cohesive argument. That is not to say the book has no merit. I am a big fan of Dr. Mohler’s biblical analysis of all things cultural, secular and Christian alike, and found The Disappearance of God to be both instructive and challenging.
Wife and mother, Bible teacher and blogger, Lisa loves Jesus, coffee, dark chocolate and, of course, books. Read more of her reflections at Lisa writes….
This must be the book about the emergent church they are going to speak on at our church. Sounds like a great book to have to keep one abreast of the changes people are trying to bring into the church. Thank you.
I’m reading this book right now! I think I read your recommendation somewhere else and so picked up a copy at the library. It’s good, but it is a challenging read. Your review here will spur me on to persevere and not quit reading. Thanks.
This book sounds COMPLETELY AWESOME and ….now…I…want….it!