What We Talk About When We Talk About God

By: Rob Bell

Narrated by: Rob Bell

Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

"I've written this book because there's a growing sense that when it comes to God, we're at the end of one era and the start of another, an entire mode of understanding and talking about God is dying as something new is being birthed." - from What We Talk About When We Talk About God

How God is described today strikes many as mean, primitive, backwards, illogical, tribal, and at odds with the frontiers of science. At the same time, many intuitively feel a sense of reverence and awe in the world. Can we find a new way to talk about God? Pastor and New York Times best-selling author Rob Bell shows how traditional ideas have grown stale and dysfunctional and reveals a new path for how to return vitality and vibrancy to how we understand God. Bell reveals how we got stuck, why culture resists certain ways of talking about God, and how we can reconnect with the God who is with us, for us, and ahead of us, pulling us forward into a better future - and ready to help us live life to the fullest.

©2013 WORB, Inc. (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Great but not my favorite by Rob Bell

Would you try another book from Rob Bell and/or Rob Bell?

I would definitely read another book by Rob Bell! He is one of my favorite authors.

If you’ve listened to books by Rob Bell before, how does this one compare?

What We Talk About When We Talk About God was terrific but my FAVORITE still is Love Wins. I think I expected this book to knock me off my feet the way Love Wins did. It didn't. It is is an awesome book. The way Rob Bell writes and speaks is easy to follow, very applicable, and down to earth. He doesn't use extra fluff language that doesn't need to be there.

What does Rob Bell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voice. I love that he reads his own books in his audio versions. This is the third of his that I have listened to and I love hearing him.

Did What We Talk About When We Talk About God inspire you to do anything?

It inspired me to pay attention to the world around me- that God is in this world around me. He's working and I need to work. I need to be more present because he is.

A profound Story teller

moving. captivating. thank you Rob Bell, for enchanting us with beautiful and clear narratives on what exactly we are talking about, when we talk about God

Essence of God revealed

Now that like Rob, I have been through my own dark night of the soul, I relate strongly to the words of Rob Bell in this open-minded and uplifting account of how God, through Jesus and the Bible demonstrated that He is on our side at all times.

Anyone who is very conservative may disagree with a lot of what he says but after my own careful study the Bible for more than 10 years and doing my own thinking I am left comforted and inspired by his words.

Foundational questions with deep meaning for life.

A way to engage the recent questioner and the deeply entrenched knowed. Great discussion starter.

It's great

Such a good read. Filled with encouragement in a life which seems flat and uninteresting.

Another Hit

I love Rob Bell’s books, and this one delivers as expected. His concept of God as expansive and loving speaks to me in a way few can. I very highly recommend this book.

Fantastic book!

For anyone who takes the time to actually listen, Rob Bell is one of the great thinkers and spiritual leaders of our day. This book is no exception. Listen and be awakened to the truth that God is with us, God is for us, and God is ahead of us. Thank you, Rob for this gift.

Loved it

What did you love best about What We Talk About When We Talk About God?

I think it reframes the discussion about God in such a good way. We are all aware of this God, whether we call it a force or nature or whatever...This seems like an honest, christian-came-out-of-the-bubble to relate with others kind of a view.

What did you like best about this story?

The part that sticks out at this moment is when he talks about speaking at a conference promoting religious peace alongside others such as Desmond Tutu and The Dalai Lama (If I remember correctly) and there were protesters outside. He did a double take on that, and asked about them, they were christians. He couldn't believe people would take time out of their day to protest a conference promoting world peace.

What does Rob Bell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Being the author, it's so good. He knows where to put the emphasis, when to slow down, speed up... and he's a gifted speaker. I also recently listened to Obama's self-narrated memoir, both of these guys would be excellent narrators, and when they narrate their excellent books, it is perfect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I actually did it in 2. But yes, it's so good and pretty short. It's possible.

I appreciate this perspective about God

Rob Bell's narrative liberates the shackled concept of God that limits religious practice. Imagine if those who claim to know God taught this way!

Awesome

I've read most of Rob Bell's books. He puts words to my thoughts and beliefs. He allowed me to see that I am not in contradiction or opposition with the religion of my experience. This is allowing me to experience God and have a relationship with God without guilt, shame, or resentment.
Thanks