The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God and Self

Sep 07, Joshua Grisetti rated it it was amazing. I discovered this book a year or so ago and instantly fell in love with it. To me, the teachings of Christ were clearly Universal. The gift of salvation was revolutionary because it was a completely free gift for all of mankind. It was not a gift that was circumstantial -- being born in the right place at the right time, being exposed to the right religious doctrines, uttering the right set of words or names or creeds -- but truly free.

A gift of grace, mercy and compassion so wildly uncondition I discovered this book a year or so ago and instantly fell in love with it. A gift of grace, mercy and compassion so wildly unconditional that only a God could offer it. Unfortunately, such radical divine truth doesn't sell very well.

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And so, I believe, the early church leaders including the Apostle Paul, who never actually met Jesus reinterpreted Christ's message to become exclusive. God has no name Ex. If we all agree to start with these fundamental truths, only one interpretation of Christ's teachings with any logical merit will emerge: This is a must-read for any Biblical student regardless of your age or your past. Bishop Pearsons story about what lead him to believe that everyone has already received salvation and how that affected his evangelical ministry but it left me with numerous questions.

How did he justify his beliefs? How would he respond to scriptures that seem to contradict this theology? Please note that I am reviewing this book as a non-religious person. While I do not believe this book is a tour de force as an argument supporting inclusionism I will say that I did enjoy the read. I am not sure how strong this book would be to convince someone to change their beliefs. However if you are looking for a basic understanding of the doctrine of Inclusionism or just a follow on from the movie then this would be the book to read. Jun 01, Greg Dill rated it really liked it.

Overall a good read. Pearson has definitely come from out of his Pentecostal roots and has embraced an inclusive gospel that embraces all people. The overall message of this book: This book resonated with me as a former conservative evangelical with a very strict and restrictive theology. Pearson's Pentecostal background is very similar to my own background, though not as charismatic. Pretty much everything Pearson writes in this Overall a good read. Pretty much everything Pearson writes in this book, I agreed with. Though it does seem a bit repetitive at times.

This book did remind me a bit of Rob Bell's "Love Wins" book. Ironically, both Pearson and Bell have been ostracized from the conservative theological community.

And, something perhaps to be proud of, though sad. If you are looking for a gospel of love, a gospel that is already complete, and a gospel that embraces all people, then take a look at Pearson's "The Gospel of Inclusion".

The Gospel of Inclusion

Jul 05, Meena rated it really liked it. As Pastor Pearson acknowledges himself, his belief in inclusion Unitarianism isn't new. But what I like about this book is the Biblical underpinnings - someone from an evangelical background who breaks down the original Greek of the Bible to support his position.

That's new to me. I'm used to more conservative readings of the Bible; most liberal religious thinkers I'm familiar with don't go back to the text. Some of the book is repetitive, but it's a message worth repeating - God is good and no As Pastor Pearson acknowledges himself, his belief in inclusion Unitarianism isn't new.

Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God and Self

Some of the book is repetitive, but it's a message worth repeating - God is good and not cruel - He will save everyone eventually. IF I believe in good, that's the God I want to believe in. I think everyone who claims to be religious should read at least a chapter of this book, if not the whole thing. May 24, JM rated it liked it Shelves: Perhaps it's because I went to a seminary that focused on Biblical Criticism, much of what he wrote was not surprising. I was hoping the bulk of the book would be his story before and after the change in theological belief.

• The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God.
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Rather the text is primarily an explanation of what Inclusion Gospel is. Jan 19, Sarah Crawford rated it it was amazing. This is the book by Bishop Carlton Pearson who was, originally, an evangelist type of preacher, going along with the hellfire-if-you're-not-perfect type of philosophy held by so many of the Christian right. Then he had a revelation and realized that, in his words, everyone had already been saved by Christ, and there was no hell and no need to always emphasize the worst in humans.

Rather, he believes in expanding Christian spirituality not religion to include everyone, including gays, lesbians, This is the book by Bishop Carlton Pearson who was, originally, an evangelist type of preacher, going along with the hellfire-if-you're-not-perfect type of philosophy held by so many of the Christian right. Rather, he believes in expanding Christian spirituality not religion to include everyone, including gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people, and other people left aside by traditional Christianity.

Still, he managed to recover through the help of some unexpected supporters, and he's now trying to preach this more people-friendly spirituality. Much of what he says causes the Christian right to react extremely harshly. We need to be saved from perceptions of God that portray Him as an angry deity with a customized torture chamber called hell. This lends 'we' a sense of superiority, but also populates the world with enemies and casts believers as self-appointed soldiers in the army of the Lord.

Under such influence, people will and do slander, attack, abuse, and kill in the name of whatever image of God their particular religion has. IN many ways, modern Evangelical Christianity has become extremely Pharasic. Infinity cannot be constrained to religion. The devil is something else entirely. The devil is legalism and stagnation; the concept that one must seek forgiveness from God through obedience and the practices of the various laws of religion.

But if God, as Scripture declares, loves us with an everlasting love, then we don't need forgiveness, because God does not hold grudges and is larger than offense, anger, or hurt. He would have to be a monstrous, amoral God without conscience or compassion. Religion is the quest to systematize that feeling, to organize it under rules and laws. IT seeks to manipulate the faith and the faithful in order to secure significance and control. Man knows that he cannot control God, but he can control religion, because he invented it, and he knows that by doing so he can influence the emotions and minds of those who either believe or date not admit their disbelief.

Jul 30, Carolyn Lind rated it it was amazing Shelves: A few quotes to sample the flavor: I felt what I was hearing was important and from God; disruptive and insurrectionist, to be sure, but necessary, right and irresistible. Sometimes, you have to create tension to get attention. And Lord Almighty, tension was flowing like lava from a volcano. If there is a devil, it is religion, not some fiend running around in red long johns carrying a pitchfork and sporting horns and a tail.

This would be a great choice for group discussion!

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Mar 07, Mark rated it it was ok. I made it halfway through this book. I could mark it "abandoned," but I think I read enough for my conscience to call it read. Then it sat on our shelf for a long time. I finally picked it up, planning to read it all the way through. It's from a guy that was STEEPED in fundamentalist, evangelical theology--even a church leader in that community--who started asking himself theological, moral, and phil I made it halfway through this book. It's from a guy that was STEEPED in fundamentalist, evangelical theology--even a church leader in that community--who started asking himself theological, moral, and philosophical questions.

Everyone should always be doing that, as far as I'm concerned. People will come to different conclusions, and I'm convinced that's ok and unavoidable , too.

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The thing is, the questions he's asking don't help me. I feel like I got to this stage when I was in junior high school, starting to think for myself. My own faith has developed, changed, and grown over the years, and I expect it will for my entire life. This is NOT the sort of stuff you ever "figure out" and are then done with. Always exploring, praying, trying to understand. And in that sense, Pearson's book doesn't help me on my journey. He's speaking to a different kind of person.

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It's a valuable thing for someone deeply within this community to speak to those peers in language that helps them with their exploration, though. Dec 20, Nwhepcat rated it it was amazing. I listened to this on audio from Audible -- an abridged version, which I don't normally go for, but after I heard him on "This American Life" I wanted more, and wanted it now. I grew up in an evangelical religion that is heavy on the hellfire, and after many years came to the conclusion I don't believe in hell.

The Gospel of Inclusion | Book by Carlton Pearson | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

When you have this kind of upbringing and come to that sort of conclusion, you feel like you're swinging out there in the breeze without much backup. Friends with that upbringing may stil I listened to this on audio from Audible -- an abridged version, which I don't normally go for, but after I heard him on "This American Life" I wanted more, and wanted it now. Friends with that upbringing may still have the belief, and those who weren't brought up that way don't know why that's such a major thing to have hanging over your head the fear that gets drilled into you lingers long after the intellectual belief goes away.

That's why this is such an important book -- to hear from someone who's worked through these issues, and that it's someone who approaches this from a scholarly point of view. It's a courageous stand to take for anyone who's been raised in a fundamentalist church, and especially so for someone who has the weight of generations of Pentecostal pastors behind him, and the enormous congregation and reputation at stake for him. Aug 29, Dan Gray rated it really liked it. This man truly lives this - at all costs and they are huge. If this book doesn't knock your socks off, the story of how this book came to be should.

It cost him nearly everything as thousands of devoted followers abandoned him. He found refuge at All Souls Chu This man truly lives this - at all costs and they are huge. He found refuge at All Souls Church in Tulsa where he honed his message with the help of a congregation of Unitarians willing to hear him out. My family and I were there for that and it was truly awesome. It revolutionized a tradition, but not the one he's intended.

Rather, the Unitarians got a much needed dose of diversity, charisma, emotional vulnerability and kick-ass gospel music. Mar 21, Emmanuelle rated it it was amazing Shelves: An important and surprising book! Bishop Pearson was a an evangelical pastor high in the Pentecostal Church hierarchy, when he realized that a God of love would not condemn His beloved children. But when he started to preach this message of love he was rebuked, ostracized and shunned on a national level. His congregants left by the thousands as and he soon lost his mega-church.

He courageously stood by this gospel of love and has found new faith, followers and family among people who were hungry An important and surprising book! He courageously stood by this gospel of love and has found new faith, followers and family among people who were hungry for just such a message. Bishop Pearson argues that the controlling dogmas of religion are the source of much of the world's ills, and that we should turn our backs on proselytizing and holy wars and focus on the real good news: The Gospel of Inclusion also tells the story of a powerful religious figure who watched everything he had crumble due to scandal.

He didn't steal money nor did he have inappropriate sexual relationships. Following a revelation from God, he began to preach that God belongs to no religion and that a loving God would not condemn most of the human race to Hell because they are not Christian. The Gospel of Inclusion is the journey of one man's quest to preach a new truth. The Secret Message of Jesus. How to write a great review. The review must be at least 50 characters long. The title should be at least 4 characters long. Your display name should be at least 2 characters long.

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