The divine magician : the disappearance of religion and the discovery of faith

In this exploration of traditional Christianity, the author turns the tables on conventional wisdom, offering a fresh perspective focused on a life filled with love. The author knows one magic trick-- now, make sure you watch closely. It has three parts: the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige. In this book, each part comes into play as he explores a radical view of interacting with the world in love. Rollins argues that the Christian event, reenacted in the Eucharist, is indeed a type of magic trick, one that is echoed in the great vanishing acts performed by magicians throughout the ages. In this trick, a divine object is presented to us (the Pledge), disappears (the Turn), and then returns (the Prestige). But just as the returned object in a classic vanishing act is not really the same object-- but another that looks the same-- so this book argues that the return of God is not simply the return of what was initially presented, but rather a radical way of interacting with the world. In an effort to unearth the power of Christianity, the author uses this framework to explain the mystery of faith that has been lost on the church. This book pushes the boundaries of theology, presenting a stirring vision at the forefront of re-imagined modern Christianity. The author examines traditional religious notions from a revolutionary and original perspective. At the heart of his message is a life lived through profound love. Just perhaps, says Rollins, the radical message found in Christianity might be one that the church can show allegiance to. Read more... Abstract: In this exploration of traditional Christianity, the author turns the tables on conventional wisdom, offering a fresh perspective focused on a life filled with love. The author knows one magic trick-- now, make sure you watch closely. It has three parts: the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige. In this book, each part comes into play as he explores a radical view of interacting with the world in love. Rollins argues that the Christian event, reenacted in the Eucharist, is indeed a type of magic trick, one that is echoed in the great vanishing acts performed by magicians throughout the ages. In this trick, a divine object is presented to us (the Pledge), disappears (the Turn), and then returns (the Prestige). But just as the returned object in a classic vanishing act is not really the same object-- but another that looks the same-- so this book argues that the return of God is not simply the return of what was initially presented, but rather a radical way of interacting with the world. In an effort to unearth the power of Christianity, the author uses this framework to explain the mystery of faith that has been lost on the church. This book pushes the boundaries of theology, presenting a stirring vision at the forefront of re-imagined modern Christianity. The author examines traditional religious notions from a revolutionary and original perspective. At the heart of his message is a life lived through profound love. Just perhaps, says Rollins, the radical message found in Christianity might be one that the church can show allegiance to In this mind-bending exploration of traditional Christianity, firebrand Peter Rollins turns the tables on conventional wisdom, offering a fresh perspective focused on a life filled with love. Peter Rollins knows one magic trick#8212;now, make sure you watch closely. It has three parts: the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige. In Divine Magician , each part comes into play as he explores a radical view of interacting with the world in love. Rollins argues that the Christian event, reenacted in the Eucharist, is indeed a type of magic trick, one that is echoed in the great vanishing acts performed by magicians throughout the ages. In this trick, a divine object is presented to us (the Pledge), disappears (the Turn), and then returns (the Prestige). But just as the returned object in a classic vanishing act is not really the same object#8212;but another that looks the same#8212;so this book argues that the return of God is not simply the return of what was initially presented, but rather a radical way of interacting with the world. In an effort to unearth the power of Christianity, Rollins uses this framework to explain the mystery of faith that has been lost on the church. In the same vein as Rob Bell's bestseller Love Wins , this book pushes the boundaries of theology, presenting a stirring vision at the forefront of re-imagined modern Christianity. As a dynamic speaker as he is in writing, Rollins examines traditional religious notions from a revolutionary and refreshingly original perspective. At the heart of his message is a life lived through profound love. Just perhaps, says Rollins, the radical message found in Christianity might be one that the church can show allegiance to "Peter Rollins knows one magic trick - now, make sure you watch closely. It has three parts: the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige. In The Divine Magician, each part comes into play as Rollins describes the way God works in our world today, and how this connection helps us understand the truly radical message of Christianity. The Divine Magician interrogates traditional religious notions from a refreshingly original perspective, undermining the commonplace debates involving dogma, doctrine, and tradition. Rejecting our preconceptions of what the spiritual and the religious mean, Rollins argues for a deeply material faith that finds meaning not in a set of beliefs, but in a passionate commitment to the world. This incendiary reading of Christianity breaks the boundaries of religion and overturns the tables of conventional wisdom. It offers hope for those seeking a depth and density in life, calling for the existing church to disappear, only to reappear in a fundamentally new and dynamic form."--Publisher's description Content: Hocus pocus -- The pledge -- Conjuring something from nothing -- The curse of the magician's curtain -- The turn -- Saint Paul's optical illusion -- The disappearance of nothing -- The prestige -- Smoke and mirrors -- The empty cabinet -- Interlude: trickster Christ -- Behind the scenes -- Outside the magic circle -- Restaging the trick -- The vanishing priest -- In the name.