Dysvangelical names a theology that is distorted, dysfunctional, and dystopian, twisting the good news of God's grace into a message of fear, partisanship, and exclusion.

In Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America, Ted V. Foote Jr. and P. Alex Thornburg speak directly to Presbyterians who are disillusioned and confused by how Christianity is being misused in American culture. So often, our beliefs as faithful Christians do not line up with the shouted chants and disturbing actions taken by those claiming to represent a true vision of Christianity. Twenty-five years after their best-selling book Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt, the authors return with fresh urgency to affirm the heart of Reformed theology and what it means to be truly evangelical in a time of theological and cultural distortion. With clarity, compassion, and a touch of humor, Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America equips readers to name what feels wrong, rediscover what is right, and live into a gospel that is still good news for all.

It is impossible to ignore the many loud voices who claim to speak for God with the absolute certainty and divisive rhetoric that has become the playbook for Christian nationalism. To help readers counter this overwhelming narrative, Foote and Thornburg provide an accessible, faithful alternative rooted in the core Presbyterian convictions of grace, community, humility, and ongoing reform. This is the message to speak loudly in our time: not one of fear and exclusion, but a living, evolving faith that proclaims the wide welcome of God's grace.

Ideal for individual or group study, the book includes an eight-session study guide that provides focus Scriptures, questions for discussion, and prayers.

About the Author
Ted V. Foote Jr. serves as the Zbinden Chair Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership at Austin Presbyterian Seminary. He has pastored Presbyterian churches in Texas and Oklahoma and authored several books, including Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt (with coauthor P. Alex Thornburg) and Being Disciples of Jesus in a Dot.Com World. P. Alex Thornburg is pastor at Heartland Presbyterian Church in Clive, Iowa. He has also pastored churches in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Thornburg has been profoundly formed by these communities and their struggles and joys in faith, in addition to experiences with Christians in other countries, such as Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Taiwan, and, most recently, Palestine.


Book Information
ISBN 9780664269272
Author Ted V. Foote Jr.
Format Paperback
Page Count 120
Imprint Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S.
Publisher Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S.