When Everything's on Fire: Faith forged from the ashes

When Everything's on Fire: Faith forged from the ashes by Brian Zahnd is a book that every follower of Jesus needs to read. It isn't just for those that have gone through (or are going through) a recent deconstruction of their beliefs. It is for everyone. We all need to critically examine our personal faith from time to time.

All too often, deconstructionists tend to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I'm one of those that has come to accept the term "deconstruction" while not really liking it. I've thought of my own work more as a remodeling job. Sure--some parts of my faith practice had to be torn down, but the beauty is in what is being rebuilt in its place.

When Everything's on Fire isn't a how-to book on deconstruction. If anything, it's more of a cautionary warning of where things can go wrong. It very much encourages you to examine what is at the core of your faith before throwing it all out. In all honesty, many Christians need to throw it all out since their faith is more centered around church, tradition, or even a particular pastor rather than being centered on Christ. 

I have followed Zahnd on social media for a while. This is only the second of his books that I've read. Although we have much in common, he challenges me -- not only in what I believe, but in finding out why I believe it. Earlier I wrote that every follower of Jesus needs to read this book. I'd expand that to say that every person of faith -- any faith (even atheism) needs to read it. 
Challenging what we believe and why we believe it should be standard practice for every critically thinking person. 

I'm off to the library today. I need to return this copy. I have a feeling that I might be purchasing my own copy in the future. Maybe not. Not preaching/teaching anymore has its advantages. One of them is a lesser need of marking up books for messages. The public library is working out well and our already overcrowded bookshelves are grateful.

What are you reading?
I'm also on Book 3 of some dystopian humanity series and slowly making my way through a deeply science and physics book on creation, the universe, and the end of time.
It looks like I'll end the year at around 70 books read -- a mere slacker compared to my sister and many of my more prolific reading friends.

John