Help My Unbelief

Rating:
Summary: Help[ing] MY unbelief...
Review: C. S. Lewis may finally have a worthy heir, and it is Fleming Rutledge. This collection of sermons by Ms. Rutledge is not just another collection of milk toast inspirational writings, nor is it a dose of fundamentalist hellfire and brimstone. She brings the bible to life !!! The Living Word lives and breathes in her homilies. Whether you are a long time church going christian, a doubting Thomas, or just someone on the outskirts of faith who finds christianity interesting, you will find this book enlightening and insightful. Ms. Rutledge's sermons are not only masterpieces of rhetoric, but they tackle tough biblical passages and tough everyday problems with intelligence, wit, and above all, passion. The title for the book is the title of the first sermon: "Help My Unbelief." It is typical of the other sermons that comprise the book. In "Help My Unbelief," she takes as her scripture Mark 9:14-29 which many believe is the greatest expression of faith in the New Testament. In this passage Jesus returns from the mountain after the transfiguration to find his disciples and others embroiled in a heated argument. Apparently, the disciples have been unable to heal a young boy suffering from what may be epilepsy. The young boy's father is at the end of his rope, totally distraught and desperate. He asks Jesus to heal his son "...if you can." Jesus responds, "all things are possible to him who believes." The exasperated father crys out "I believe, help my unbelief." Then, with a command, Jesus heals the child. Using this passage as her starting point Ms. Rutledge elucidates the heart and core of the christian faith. She discusses doubt, not the kind expressed by philosophers and intellectual unbelievers, but rather the kind experienced by most loyal church going christians, including herself. Not only is doubt normal, but our faith can be stronger if we face such doubt squarely and honestly. This is the prologue to the book. Many other eloquent sermons follow that successfully address the difficulties of faith in the modern world with integrity and compassion. In several sermons, Ms. Rutledge argues against and refutes the freudian notion that christianity, like all "religion," is merely the projection of wishful thinking. Part of her argument is that true christianity is not even a "religion" at all. In fact, God doesn't even like "religion." In this respect God and Freud are in agreement. She identifies with the Swiss theologian Karl Barth and St. Paul regarding the heart of the Gospel, namely, that "Christ died for the ungodly." Her sermons on what this means for social justice and reform are some of the most evangelical, radical, and challenging. She also takes on some of the hardest passages from Romans, I & II Corinthians, and other letters of St. Paul: predestination, christian liberty, justification by faith, good works, and the resurrection of the body are just a few of the topics covered in her sermons. They are all discussed in a way that is easy to understand and relevant for today, while at the same time remaining true to the biblical witness. Ms. Rutledge has done a great service. Like C. S. Lewis, she will help many with their unbelief !!

Rating:
Summary: Combines pastoral warmth and intellectual clarity
Review: In Help My Unbelief, parish priest Fleming Rutledge draws upon her more than twenty-two years of ministerial service to speak directly to readers plagued by doubts and uncertainties about their Christian faith. Her approach combines pastoral warmth and intellectual clarity as she aligns herself with the struggling questioner facing the most penetrating theological challenges of modern times. Highly recommended reading for all Christians regardless of creed or denomination, Help My Unbelief offers satisfying answers for those who must deal with doubt and who strive for a Christian faith within the context and challenges of the world today.

Rating:
Summary: Words for People Wanting to Believe
Review: In her second book of sermons, Fleming Rutledge weaves contemporary concerns into the Biblical story. She manages to expound scripture while speaking to moral and social concerns. In the process, the book affirms faith while owning the difficulty of believing for many of us. She mixes a clear affirmation of traditional doctrines with a disarming humility that understands the writer's own frailities. She offers substance for the mind and the soul in her preaching.