Gavin Ortlund

However you define it, deconstruction is impossible to deny."I'm deconstructing my faith." As any pastor can tell you, hearing these words is simply a regular feature of ministry these days. How we respond to those who are deconstructing will reveal the kind of church--and the kinds of Christians--we really are.Ian Harber knows the fear and grief of deconstruction firsthand. In Walking Through Deconstruction, he tells the story of his own process of deconstruction and reconstruction over more than ten years and explores what is actually happening, both culturally and spiritually, when someone deconstructs their faith.Deconstruction doesn't happen in a vacuum; it is catalyzed by a comfortable society, cultural Christianity, compromised churches, and the compounding anxieties of life. But the Christian faith has better to offer. Harber lays out a vision for the kind of faith environment that can foster genuine reconstruction through healthy relationships, robust doctrine, healthy institutions, a better theology of suffering, and the peace of God.Walking Through Deconstructiontells the author's real life story of deconstruction and reconstructionprovides a clear definition of deconstructionacknowledges the urgency of deconstruction while prioritizing patience and trust over feardescribes common contributing factors and phases of deconstruction, andcasts a vision for healthy communities that help people hold onto faith.We desperately need healthy models of ministry to those who are deconstructing. Whether you're a pastor, parent, or friend of someone on this path, Walking Through Deconstruction offers hope for a renewed faith--stronger than it was before.

The Christian faith makes a lot of sense--of the world around us and the ache we feel inside. If you've ever felt a longing deep in your heart for something you cannot name, this is your chance to explore it. It's an opportunity to ask hard questions, like why is there something and not nothing? What's the point of life if everything came into existence by accident? And if Jesus rose from the dead, would that really be good news? Why Christianity Makes Sense tackles those questions head-on by showing how the Christian faith not only provides the best explanation for why the universe is the way it is, but also for why that’s the happiest possible news we could get. Because Christianity makes a lot more sense than you may realize. When C.S. Lewis presented what would become Mere Christianity in a series of radio broadcasts during World War II, he was telling his audience about the sensibility of being a Christian, from a logical and moral standpoint. Now, award-winning author Gavin Ortlund takes up Lewis's tradition by presenting the gospel to a new generation in a fresh way designed to reveal its astounding beauty and depth. Written in a welcoming style that’s easy to pick up and read, Why Christianity Makes Sense unpacks questions about the Christian faith like: Will having faith make you happier? Does the Bible endorse evils like slavery and war? If God is real, why isn't he more obvious? What are some of the strongest arguments for the truth of Christianity? For anyone in search of meaningful answers to the mysteries of the world and the purpose for their life, Why Christianity Makes Sense offers a fresh sense of wonder and enchantment at the gospel of Jesus.

DET FINNS I DAG en längtan bland många kristna efter mer historiskt rotade traditioner som den katolska och den ortodoxa. Tyvärr utgår många från att denna längtan bara kan tillfredsställas utanför det protestantiska lägret.Varför vara protestant? är ett ömsint försvar för protestantismen i jämförelse med andra traditioner och visar på en väg framåt för kristna som vill leva med Bibeln som yttersta auktoritet.Boken blev utsedd till årets bok 2024 av Christianity Today.- - -GAVIN ORTLUND är pastor, författare och försvarare av kristen tro. Han har en doktorsexamen i historisk teologi från Fuller Theological Seminary i USA och har skrivit åtta böcker och mängder av akademiska och populärvetenskapliga artiklar. Han driver sedan flera år YouTube-kanalen Truth Unites, som vill vara en trovärdig och sympatisk röst i en fragmenterad kultur.

A Powerful Defense of The Protestant Tradition. Winner of the 2024 Christianity Today Book of the Year Award and Popular Theology category; Winner of Credo Magazine’s Award in Theological RetrievalThere's a movement among evangelicals of exploring the more sacramental, liturgical, and historically-conscious church traditions, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. This hunger for historical rootedness is welcome—but unfortunately, many assume that this need can only be met outside of Protestant contexts.In What it Means to Be Protestant, Gavin Ortlund draws from both his scholarly work in church history and his personal experience in ecumenical engagement to offer a much-needed defense of the Protestant tradition.Retrieving classical Protestant texts and arguments, he exposes how many of the contemporary objections leveled against Protestants are rooted in caricature. He shows how historic Protestantism offers the best pathway forward and to historical rootedness for Christians today.In his charitable style, Ortlund demonstrates that the 16th century Reformation represented a genuine renewal of the gospel. This does not entail that Protestantism is without faults. But because it is built upon the principle of semper reformanda (always reforming), Protestantism is capable of reforming itself according to Scripture as the ultimate authority."I find it hard to overstate the importance of this book for every pastor/minister, elder, and serious Bible student that I know. . .This book automatically becomes my new go-to resource explaining Protestantism. It is fantastic, and I thank God for it. . ." —Bobby Harrington, co-founder of RENEW.org and Discipleship.org, founding pastor Harpeth Christian Church

Cultivating Humility in a Gospel-Centered Way There are many misconceptions about what it means to be humble. Some think that being humble means hiding your talents and abilities or being weak and inauthentic. But the Bible paints a different picture—defining humility as a self-forgetfulness leading to joy and explaining that it is a life-giving virtue that frees you from the restricting needs of your ego. In Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness, Gavin Ortlund encourages readers that humility is not just an abstract virtue but a mark of gospel integrity. Ortlund examines humility both on a personal level and in the context of the church, giving examples of ways to cultivate it—including meditation on the gospel and practicing intentional gratitude. Drawing from Philippians 2 and historical texts such as C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity and Jonathan Edwards’s sermon “A Christian Spirit Is a Humble Spirit,” Ortlund defines humility in light of the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ, casting a vision for a gospel-centered, humble life. First Book in the Growing Gospel Integrity Series: Created in partnership with Union School of Theology Written by Gavin Ortlund: Author of Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future and Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage For Small Groups and Individual Study: Questions at the end of each chapter encourage small group discussion

Outreach 2022 Resource of the Year (Apologetics)2021 Book Award Winner, The Gospel Coalition (Evangelism & Apologetics)Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics & Evangelism)Southwestern Journal of Theology 2021 Book Award (Honorable Mention, Christian Worldview/Apologetics)It has never been more important to articulate the wonder and enchantment of the Christian message. Yet the traditional approaches of apologetics are often outmoded in an age of profound disenchantment and distraction, unable to meet this pressing need.This winsome apologetics book for a new generation makes the case that Christianity offers a compelling explanatory framework for making sense of our world. Pastor and writer Gavin Ortlund believes it is essential to appeal not only to the mind but also to the heart and the imagination as we articulate the beauty of the gospel.Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't reimagines four classical theistic arguments--cosmological, teleological, moral, and Christological--making a cumulative case for God as the best framework for understanding the storied nature of reality. The book suggests that Christian theism can explain such things as the elegance of math, the beauty of music, and the value of love. It is suitable for use in classes yet accessibly written, making it a perfect resource for churches and small groups.

How might premodern exegesis of Genesis inform Christian debates about creation today? Imagine a table with three people in dialogue: a young-earth creationist, an old-earth creationist, and an evolutionary creationist. Into the room walks Augustine of Hippo, one of the most significant theologians in the history of the church. In what ways will his reading of Scripture and his doctrine of creation inform, deepen, and shape the conversation? Pastor and theologian Gavin Ortlund explores just such a scenario by retrieving Augustine's reading of Genesis 1-3 and considering how his premodern understanding of creation can help Christians today. Ortlund contends that while Augustine's hermeneutical approach and theological questions might differ from those of today, this church father's humility before Scripture and his theological conclusions can shed light on matters such as evolution, animal death, and the historical Adam and Eve. Have a seat. Join the conversation.

"This is a wise and needed book.”—Russell Moore, President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention In theology, just as in battle, some hills are worth dying on and others are not. But how do we know which ones? When should doctrine divide, and when should unity prevail? Just as a medic on a battlefield treats the severely wounded first and then moves on to the less serious injuries, we must prioritize doctrine in order of importance. Pastor Gavin Ortlund implores us to cultivate humility as we prioritize doctrine into four ranks—essential, urgent, important, and unimportant—so that we will be as effective as possible at advancing the gospel in our time. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition.

Restless for rootedness, many Christians are abandoning Protestantism altogether. Many evangelicals today are aching for theological rootedness often found in other Christian traditions. Modern evangelicalism is not known for drawing from church history to inform views on the Christian life, which can lead to a "me and my Bible" approach to theology. But this book aims to show how Protestantism offers the theological depth so many desire without the need for abandoning a distinctly evangelical identity. By focusing on particular doctrines and neglected theologians, this book shows how evangelicals can draw from the past to meet the challenges of the present.

"A tremendous resource for those wanting to study and teach the Bible with an understanding of how the gospel is woven throughout Scripture." —Bryan Chapell, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” show how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on every page of the Bible. The books of 1–2 Kings describe the period of monarchy in ancient Israel, highlighting a clear contrast between the covenant-keeping God and the covenantbreaking people of Israel. Walking readers through these two books, this 12-week study guide helps us see God’s mercy and grace as he offers blessings instead of curses to his people in response to their disobedience—pointing forward to the faithfulness of the Redeemer yet to come.