If God is love, why are so many Christians fearful, and why do so many church leaders sound hateful? Two controversial pastors address issues the church won't face, calling us to restore grace as the center of the Christian life. o In If Grace Is True, Pastors Philip Gulley and James Mulholland revealed their belief that God will save every person. They now explore the implications of this belief, and its power to change every area of our lives. They attempt to answer one question: If we took God's love seriously, what would our world look like? Gulley and Mulholland argue that what we believe is crucial and dramatically affects the way we live and interact in the world. Beliefs have power. The belief in a literal hell where people suffer eternally has often been used by the Church to justify hate and violence, which contradicts what Jesus taught about love and grace. The authors present a new vision for our personal, religious, and corporate lives, exploring what our world would be like if we based our existence on the foundational truth that God loves every person. Gulley and Mulholland boldly address many controversial issues people in the pews have wondered about but churches have been unwilling to tackle. For too long, the Christian tradition has been steeped in negativity, exclusion, and judgment. Gulley and Mulholland usher us into a new agean age where grace and love are allowed to reign.
In a straightforward and thoughtful exploration, Pastors Philip Gulley and James Mulholland attempt to answer one question: If we took God's love seriously, what would our world look like? If God is Love addresses issues the church won't face, calling us to restore grace as the center of the Christian life.
Gulley and Mulholland argue that what we believe dramatically affects the way we live and interact in the world. The belief in a literal hell where people suffer eternally has often been used by the Church to justify hate and violence, which contradicts what Jesus taught about love and grace. The authors present a new vision for our personal, religious, and corporate lives, exploring what our world would be like if we based our existence on the essential truth that God loves every person.
Philip Gulley is a Quaker minister, writer, husband, and father. He is the bestselling author of Front Porch Tales and the acclaimed Harmony series, as well as If Grace Is True, coauthored with James Mulholland. He and his wife, Joan, live in Indiana with their sons, Spencer and Sam.
James Mulholland, the author of Praying Like Jesus, is a theologian with ecumenical experience in the American Baptist and United Methodist denominations. He presently pastors a Quaker meeting. He lives in Indianapolis where he is involved in a wide variety of social ministries.
"The process of reading If God Is Love is itself an experience of healing and reconciliation. This book is a welcome antidote to so much contemporary religion that is coercive, intolerant, and finally unbearable."
- Walter Brueggemann, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary
