Review - When Christians Get It Wrong

I recently saw a book with a catchy title and started reading it -- "When Christians Get It Wrong" by Adam Hamilton. He makes some excellent points in the book, and does a great job at describing the need for humility among church leaders (well, all Christians). There are a number of things that some Christians do, say or believe that are increasingly aggravating - both for people outside and inside the church! He does a good job with the discussion of the relationship between Christianity and politics. The book is easy to read, and is clearly written by someone with the loving heart of a pastor. And yet, I found myself growing increasingly uneasy reading this book. Hamilton isn't saying our practice of the Christian message is wrong, but he's saying that on several fairly important issues that our doctrine is wrong, promoting alternatives which do not seem biblical.

Looking on Amazon the reviews were almost universally positive (clearly showing that the issues Hamilton addresses are very important and resonate with many people). Also it's recommended by several pastors and authors I respect a lot. I must differ with them. There are two other books I've read which also do a superb job at pointing out several perceived and real flaws among the church today. These are unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters and They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations. There is a very significant difference between 'When Christians Get it Wrong' and these other books. The goal of the latter is for Christians to practice a Christian message that is closer to what Jesus himself taught and lived. The flaws they identify are more with the practice (and arrogance) of many Christians. In Hamilton's book, he goes a step further and says that the actual teaching or doctrine of the church is wrong - not just their practices. Specifically he espouses distinctly non-traditional views on the topics of salvation (where he promotes a very inclusivist view, bordering on universalism), beliefs on homosexuality, and about the omniscience and omnipotence of God (in discussing why bad things happen). Whether the lack of orthodoxy in this book's teaching is a good or a bad thing will depend on the perspective of the reader - in particular on their view of the authority of Scripture. But it's important to note the major difference in approach that Hamilton takes compared to the authors like Kinnamon and Lyons or Dan Kimball in addressing the important ways in which Christians don't get it right.

When Christians Get It Wrong raises some critical issues, but it should be read with careful discernment.