Hello All: A while ago there was some curiosity on the Covid Post about this book. I've since read it and decided to report back. Basham's main argument is that American church leaders "have traded the truth for a leftist agenda." She explores several topics including immigration, abortion, climate change, and most relevant to this space, Covid.
The chapter on Covid is the best in the book. I was fascinated to learn how much effort was put into getting church leaders on board with the restrictions and foxes. Francis Collins himself spoke to many of them, by zoom of course. He apparently made much of his Catholic faith in these conversations. I found the twisting of scripture and Christian principles to advance authoritian actions hard to read. But important. I also found out that a few Christian leaders I had admired were more on board with the Covid discrimination then I had thought. Based on published writings, I had understood that Tim Keller and NT Wright supported the foxes but thought that people of faith and discernment could come to a different, valid, conclusion. Turns out they supported discrimination against the unfoxed.
The other chapters in the book are thought provoking and well argued. However, I only recommend them to those that are very interested in church politics or the proliferation of progressive politics. Bashan presents strong factual arguments, but her writing is very dense and not engaging enough to encourage a casual reader.
Side note - Basham shares her conversion story in the last chapter. It's really the only personal part of the book. I love conversation stories. Hers is a good one and very well told.
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branchandroot
Shepherds For Sale by Megan Basham
Date: 2024-11-20 05:35 pm (UTC)The chapter on Covid is the best in the book. I was fascinated to learn how much effort was put into getting church leaders on board with the restrictions and foxes. Francis Collins himself spoke to many of them, by zoom of course. He apparently made much of his Catholic faith in these conversations. I found the twisting of scripture and Christian principles to advance authoritian actions hard to read. But important. I also found out that a few Christian leaders I had admired were more on board with the Covid discrimination then I had thought. Based on published writings, I had understood that Tim Keller and NT Wright supported the foxes but thought that people of faith and discernment could come to a different, valid, conclusion. Turns out they supported discrimination against the unfoxed.
The other chapters in the book are thought provoking and well argued. However, I only recommend them to those that are very interested in church politics or the proliferation of progressive politics. Bashan presents strong factual arguments, but her writing is very dense and not engaging enough to encourage a casual reader.
Side note - Basham shares her conversion story in the last chapter. It's really the only personal part of the book. I love conversation stories. Hers is a good one and very well told.
Cheers, Heloise