Book Review - ReBorn Again by Christopher VanHall

(Re)Born Again – Crucifying Christendom & Resurrecting A Radical

By Christopher VanHall.

This is not my usual kind of Christian book to read. Christopher is a radical progressive Christian whose ideas and experiences of faith are very raw to a traditionalist like me. I was intrigued by the title of this book and also wanted to be better informed of a branch of Christianity that has often made me uncomfortable. I was not disappointed.

Christopher’s deep honesty and coarse language throughout the book are actually quite refreshing. He writes about his experiences from the heart and describes his faith journey in very terse terms. His Christian roots are conservative and he begins the book with several events that eventually led him to question the performance presentations that his large mega-church extravagantly put on. At times, it sounded comical and absurd, but below the surface, Christopher was experiencing a painful spiritual rebirth of who he is and what Christ expects of His followers.

I was captivated by the unapologetic honesty and relentless drive that Christopher conveys through the different stages of his life. His confrontations with church leaders, marriage breakdown, self-questioning, and rock-bottom experiences are all there in the book. How he manages to rediscover himself and climb up out of his spiritual pit is inspiring. His progressive and radical insights taught me a lot about the struggles that others like him have in their own lives. While I may not always agree with his methods or even some of his thoughts on scripture, I do recognize his real passion for what he believes, thinks and does.

I like the way he has set out each chapter, beginning with an episodic situation or circumstance which is quite intriguing, and then breaks off from it to explore and express an important theological point. At the end of the chapter, he very neatly returns to the initial incident and cleverly weaves it into a very effective and teachable lesson. Time and time again, this impressed me deeply.

This book will make a great small group study by all sorts of Christians. I am thankful for the opportunity to both read and review it for the publishers. It is a remarkable journey and I am grateful for the broader insights about progressive Christianity that Christopher has given me.