Saving God from Religion

A Minister's Search for Faith in a Skeptical Age

By: Robin R. Meyers

Narrated by: Robin R. Meyers

Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

A revelatory manifesto on how we can reclaim faith from abstract doctrines and rigid morals to find God in the joys and ambiguities of everyday life, from the acclaimed author of Saving Jesus from the Church

“In this book of stories from four decades of ministry, Meyers powerfully captures what it means to believe in a God who’s revealed not in creeds or morals but in the struggles and beauty of our ordinary lives.” (Richard Rohr, best-selling author of The Universal Christ)

People across the theological and political spectrum are struggling with what it means to say that they believe in God. For centuries, Christians have seen him as a deity who shows favor to some and dispenses punishment to others according to right belief and correct behavior. But this transactional approach to a God “up there” - famously depicted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - no longer works, if it ever did, leaving an increasing number of Christians upset, disappointed, and heading for the exits.

In this groundbreaking, inspiring book, Robin R. Meyers, the senior minister of Oklahoma City’s Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, shows how listeners can move from a theology of obedience to one of consequence. He argues that we need to stop seeing our actions as a means for pleasing a distant God and rediscover how God has empowered us to care for ourselves and the world. Drawing on stories from his decades of active ministry, Meyers captures how the struggles of ordinary people hint at how we can approach faith as a radical act of trust in a God who is all around us, even in our doubts and the moments of life we fear the most.

©2020 Robin R. Meyers (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In this book of stories from four decades of ministry, Meyers powerfully captures what it means to believe in a God who’s revealed not in creeds or morals but in the struggles and beauty of our ordinary lives. In unrelenting detail, he shows how all of creation is anointed with the presence of God, before leaving us with the hope that such anointing might also include us.” (Richard Rohr, bestselling author of The Universal Christ)

“Several years ago now, Marcus Borg said to me, ‘Keep your eyes on the work of Robin Meyers - he is a forerunner, a man of courage and comment, empathy and compassion.’ In Saving God from Religion, Meyers invites us to reimagine God as we look around at our web of existence. He never lets us ‘fly off the page’ into some abstract, unwieldy realm but rather calls us to existential trust, where the sacred and profane meet. Meyers insists ours is a life in and with God, a collaborative, elegant, grounded play of awe and wonder in which outcomes are not guaranteed, but the possibility of goodness is endless.” (Marianne Borg, founding chair of the Marcus J. Borg Foundation)

“Conventional religious language inspires some with warm and nostalgic feelings, but it triggers others with nausea or the hives. At the center of our religious language problem is the word God, but too few ministers and theologians have shown the courage to wade into the deep waters of what we mean when we say God. Robin Meyers has that courage, and in Saving God from Religion, he invites us to join him in the deep end. You’ll be glad you did. You might even experience this book as a kind of baptism into a deeper, freer, wider faith.” (Brian D. McLaren, author of The Galápagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey)

A refreshing and thoughtful book

Robin Meyer has thought deeply about his faith and relationship to God for 35 years. I felt uplifted listening to this book

Robin Meyers presents an engaging way of living

Robin Meyer narrates his own work portraying life lived with abundant grace and love grounded the God who is in all, and the ground of all. Drawing on poets, theologians, quantum scientists, and people who are poor and/or homeless and in coversation with atheists, agnostics, those who are spiritual-but-not-religious, he lifts up engaging glimpses of a God who is everywhere present giving us hope to engage in love for all. I love this book, and will now order a hard copy to read, mark and inwardly digest.

Masterful

Meyers is a commanding storyteller and that shines through in this book. As an aspiring minister in Discernment with the UCC, I have long admired Meyers for his unique thinking and teachings about God, and how he has taught us all to “look around” instead of “up” for the God that we claim to be waiting for. Get this book and use it as a guide to start “looking around.”

A loving and respectful reflection on the church t

Wonderful, thoughtful reflections on faith and what it can mean to be a Christian. It's one of the few Audible books I have that I know I'll be listening to again and again.

Dive into the Deep Water

The author’s thoughts may seem radical at first but then so was Jesus. If we desire to live His teaching, then listen with open hearts and minds to the challenges in this book. Then apply them as I am committing to do. Shalom!

Refressing

Robin Meyers provides a fresh look at the modern world and the God of the universe. He combines modern science, personal stories, and his views of God and religion to create a vision of God for the 21st century and beyond. I really enjoyed his narration as well!

Understanding God Differently

Robin Myers has been a pastor at the same church for 35 years. I think this gives him a perspective that other preachers do not have. This is a wonderful book of stories from his 35 years and what he himself has learned over that period of time. I know Robin personally and was anxiously looking forward to reading this book but it was even more wonderful to have him read it to me. It was as if he and I were sitting quietly together talking. If you have questions about religion Jesus God and other matters along those lines Robin has a 21st view which can help you should you have doubts or need support.