Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?: Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World Book

1 The Scene of a Thousand Jokes 1

2 Conflicted Religious Identity Syndrome 13

Part I The Crisis of Christian Identity 25

3 How a Muslim Boy Converted Me 27

4 How a Book in the 1970s Anticipated the Story Line of the Early 21st Century 34

5 How a Mentor Shocked Me-and Gently Nudged Me toward Higher Ground 40

6 How Your Friends Can Be More Dangerous Than Your Enemies (And How You Can Be More Dangerous Than Both) 46

7 How an Atheist Made-and Missed-an Essential Point about Religion 54

8 How (Not) to Create a Strong-Benevolent Christian Identity 64

9 How a Liberal Arts Education Ruined My Opinion of Christopher Columbus 73

10 How Constantine Prepared the Way for Columbus 81

11 How Constantine Prepared the Way for Today's Headlines 87

Part II The Doctrinal Challenge 97

12 How the Doctrine of Creation Can Create Humankind(ness) 99

13 How the Doctrine of (Un) Original Sin Can Help Christians Be Less Sinful 105

14 How the Doctrine of Election (or Chosen-ness) Can Help Christians Choose Benevolence 115

15 How the Doctrine of the Trinity Can Foment Harmony and Unity 125

16 How a Deeper Christology Can Save Christians from Hostility 133

17 How the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Can Empower Our Encounter with the Other 145

18 How Faithful Doctrinal Reformulation Can Make Orthodoxy More Generous 155

Part III The Liturgical Challenge 165

19 How the Christian Year Can Become More Christian 167

20 How Baptism Differs from Sitting on Santa's Knee 179

21 How Songs, Prayers, Sermons, and Sunday School Classes Can Save Lives 188

22 How Reading the Bible Responsibly Can Look Irresponsible (and Vice Versa) 196

23 How the Table Differs from the Altar 208

Part IV The Missional Challenge 221

24 How Subversive Friendship Can Change the World 223

25 How God's Commonwealth of Peace Confronts Earthly Empires of Hostility 232

26 How With-ness Complements Witness 239

27 How Mission Can Reorganize Organized Religion 248

28 How Evangelism Is Like a Windmill 254

29 How a Hindu Can Help Christians Discover Their True Identity in a Multi-faith World 265

Acknowledgments 275