I (Nathan) have had Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence by Diana Butler Bass on my bookshelf for a few years now, but have yet to delve into its pages. Over the past few years, I have used Lent as a time of more intense personal reflection, usually focusing on a spiritual practice. Reading a book that demands deeper thought, or delving into a topic of interest that I've not spent much time thinking about lately. Diana is a historian, teacher, preacher, and gifted writer. Her weekly email newsletter, The Cottage, brings information and inspiration to folks around the globe. I've gotten to know her through her writings, but also from hearing her speak at Wild Goose Festival each summer and at the Southern Lights conference at St. Simons Island each January.

Here's a blurb from the book jacket:

How can you still be a Christian?

This is the most common question Diana Butler Bass is asked today. It is a question that many believers ponder as they wrestle with disappointment and disillusionment in their church and its leadership. But while many Christians have left their churches, they cannot leave their faith behind. 

In Freeing Jesus, Bass challenges the idea that Jesus can only be understood in static, one-dimensional ways and asks us to instead consider a life where Jesus grows with us and helps us through life’s challenges in several capacities: as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. 

Freeing Jesus is an invitation to leave the religious wars behind and rediscover Jesus in all his many manifestations, to experience Jesus beyond the narrow confines we have built around him. It renews our hope in faith and worship at a time when we need it most."

We will meet three times via Zoom at 7:00 PM. The Zoom link can be found here.

February 13: We’ll talk briefly about our ideas about Jesus, church, and faith and then sign off to start reading!

March 12: We'll discuss the first half of the book.

April 9: We'll discuss the second half of the book.

You may purchase the book on Amazon or at your local book shop (like our Five Points neighbor, Avid Bookshop).

It’s available in hardcover, paperback, digital, and Audible.