Christianity for the Rest of Us

There has been much hand-wringing about the decline of mainline Protestant churches. Many congregations who have tried to curb this trend have found themselves emulating mega-church programs, with extravagant, entertainment-style worship. Seeking possible alternatives to this model, Diana Butler Bass conducted a major study among progressive churches across the country. While conventional wisdom holds that only conservative churches are growing, the surprising results of the study revealed just the opposite. Christianity for the Rest of Us offers a first-hand account of the grassroots phenomenon taking place in mainline church life today, showing that neighborhood churches are not only surviving but thriving. Diana Butler Bass is the author of four books on American Protestantism, including Strength for the Journey and The Practicing Congregation. She has served on the faculty at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Rhodes College, and Virginia Theological Seminary. From 1995-2000 she wrote a weekly column on American religion for the New York Times syndicate. She is an increasingly popular speaker at retreats and workshops across the country. She lives in Alexandria, VA. “The most important book of the decade about emerging Christianity and the renewal of mainline congregations. Exciting and encouraging, hopeful and helpful, and filled with examples of vital Christian practices from which all interested in the future of the church can learn.” - Marcus Borg, author of The Heart of Christianity