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The quest for a Christian story in our time - by Kevin Treston This is a text that is hard to put down. It is a powerful work addressing Christianity's crisis of authenticity and integrity. But once outlined effectively, it does not dwell on this crisis. Instead it offers ways to recover the authentic Jesus and presents a way to a lived spirituality based on hope and positive seeking that does not deny the reality of the secular world, nor modern scientific advances, or the evolution of humankind. The author has the right credentials (academic and experiential) to offer this guide to moving forward - practical and applied theology, work with learners and leaders in the churches and a wonderful knowledge of our Christian heritage beyond orthodox and traditional practices. This is an aid to facilitating a renewal of a faith that incorporates everyday living, rapid social change, evolving family and community structure, the process of aging, and dealing with the many challenges of life. For those who want it, it also offers a way forward for progressive church reform. To do all of this, one needs to have a helicopter view of society, a method for telling the Jesus story to inhabitants of an increasingly secular world, a way to eliminate the irrelevant doctrines and dogmas that obscure this story, and ways for enriching and living life 'in full abundance'. For me, it was good to read for my own learning. But the book is also useful as a guide for small group study. It is loaded with resource references. As a tool for church councils at all levels and across denominations in the Western world it is bound to provoke worthwhile discussion and action. While reading the book, I kept telling myself that this material is very timely - a post truth era, the diminishing identity of Christianity in our culture, the competition for people's allegiances, the proliferation of aggressive ideologies, the fragility of world peace. Where is Jesus in all of this? The author urges us not to retreat into secure enclaves to shut out the world, but to live among the cutting edges and paradoxes of life lived in reality - no more fantasy, just awake to what is happening and calling up the teachings of Jesus as a guide. Kevin Treston calls up new scholarship to recover the authentic Jesus story and helps the reader to unpack the accumulation of uncritical baggage that diminishes the real value of the cosmic Christ and links him into all of creation. In this, there are some strong messages for those leaders who have substituted clericalism for ministry and widened the gap between priest and people and reduced the people of God (laity) to passive observers. But there is much more ..... I won't tell you...go get the book and enjoy! Dr Paul Inglis 22 March 2018

The quest for a Christian story in our time - by Kevin Treston This is a text that is hard to put down. It is a powerful work addressing Christianity's crisis of authenticity and integrity. But once outlined effectively, it does not dwell on this crisis. Instead it offers ways to recover the authentic Jesus and presents a way to a lived spirituality based on hope and positive seeking that does not deny the reality of the secular world, nor modern scientific advances, or the evolution of humankind. The author has the right credentials (academic and experiential) to offer this guide to moving forward - practical and applied theology, work with learners and leaders in the churches and a wonderful knowledge of our Christian heritage beyond orthodox and traditional practices. This is an aid to facilitating a renewal of a faith that incorporates everyday living, rapid social change, evolving family and community structure, the process of aging, and dealing with the many challenges of life. For those who want it, it also offers a way forward for progressive church reform. To do all of this, one needs to have a helicopter view of society, a method for telling the Jesus story to inhabitants of an increasingly secular world, a way to eliminate the irrelevant doctrines and dogmas that obscure this story, and ways for enriching and living life 'in full abundance'. For me, it was good to read for my own learning. But the book is also useful as a guide for small group study. It is loaded with resource references. As a tool for church councils at all levels and across denominations in the Western world it is bound to provoke worthwhile discussion and action. While reading the book, I kept telling myself that this material is very timely - a post truth era, the diminishing identity of Christianity in our culture, the competition for people's allegiances, the proliferation of aggressive ideologies, the fragility of world peace. Where is Jesus in all of this? The author urges us not to retreat into secure enclaves to shut out the world, but to live among the cutting edges and paradoxes of life lived in reality - no more fantasy, just awake to what is happening and calling up the teachings of Jesus as a guide. Kevin Treston calls up new scholarship to recover the authentic Jesus story and helps the reader to unpack the accumulation of uncritical baggage that diminishes the real value of the cosmic Christ and links him into all of creation. In this, there are some strong messages for those leaders who have substituted clericalism for ministry and widened the gap between priest and people and reduced the people of God (laity) to passive observers. But there is much more ..... I won't tell you...go get the book and enjoy! Dr Paul Inglis 22 March 2018

Author Information

Kevin Treston graduated BA (Hons), MA (Hons), MEd, PhD (University of Notre Dame USA) and pursued post-doctoral studies in Washington, Chicago and Boston. He was Visiting Scholar at Boston College and is a member of the Association of Practical Theology Oceania. He has worked in ministry across Australia and several countries. Kevin was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to Catholic Education. He lives with his wife Kathryn in Brisbane, Australia.

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