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Excerpt
Publishers
Weekly
Library
Journal
Brief Reviews & Endorsements
Christian Century Advertisement
Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation
The Current, Part 2, Evangelical Aid
The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Resentment, not the Gospel, likely to spread
National
Public Radio, "Fresh Air" interview
with Terry Grose,
Interview on Evangelical Christians in Iraq
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"Whatever
religious people may say about their love of God or the mandates of
their religion, when their behavior toward others is violent and destructive,
when it causes suffering among their neighbors, you can be sure the
religion has been corrupted and reform is desperately needed. When
religion becomes evil these five corruptions are always present. Conversely,
when religion remains true to its authentic sources, it is actively
dismantling these corruptions ... "
Religious persuasions are indisputably central factors in the escalation
of evil and violence on the global scene, and hence a growing subject
of popular concern and debate. Many argue that religion is the chief
source of problems in the world today. Central to this debate is the
need to distinguish between "corrupt" forms of religious
expression and the "authentic" forms that offer real correctives
and solutions to this global threat.
Religion
and mid-East politics expert Charles Kimball offers a timely examination
of the nature and signs of religious evil, while outlining the correctives
to these corruptions within each of the major religious traditions.
Grounded in his experience as a Christian working closely with Muslims
and Jews at the intersections of politics and religion over the
past twenty-five years, Kimball outlines a clear description of
the five basic corruptions that manifest themselves in each of the
major religious traditions. While no single tradition is exempt
from these corruptions, each has the ability and means to identify
and correct such tendencies within its own wisdom tradition. When
Religion Becomes Evil offers a reliable guide to this urgent global
issue, showing us that the ways in which people of faith understand
and live out their deepest religious commitments will have profound
consequences for the future of humanity.
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