• Myth of a Christian Nation

  • How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church
  • By: Gregory A. Boyd
  • Narrated by: Richard Allen
  • Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (223 ratings)

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Myth of a Christian Nation

By: Gregory A. Boyd
Narrated by: Richard Allen
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Publisher's summary

Arguing from Scripture and history, Dr. Boyd makes a compelling case that whenever the church gets too close to any political or national ideology, it is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. Dr. Boyd contends that the American Evangelical Church has allowed itself to be co-opted by the political right (and some by the political left), and exposes how this is harming the church's unique calling to build the kingdom of God.

In the course of his argument, Dr. Boyd challenges some of the most deeply held convictions of evangelical Christians in America for example, that America is, or ever was, "a Christian nation" or that Christians ought to be trying to "take America back for God".

©2007 Gregory A. Boyd (P)2007 Zondervan

What listeners say about Myth of a Christian Nation

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Poor Book, Poor Narrator, Poor Listener

Given Boyd's education and exposure to both theology and philosophy, this book is surprising in that it's written as if Christianity has absolutely no historical or theological history. Boyd's Christianity is a hyper-feminized, abstract, and confusing amalgam of imprecise axioms based on Boyd's view of the Bible. Favorite catch-phrases like "looks like Jesus" and terms like "love" are barely defined but used prolifically to the point of diluting overuse. Boyd apparently eschews any type of conflict in a book where his major premise purports to tell us how to live.

Most egregious is his apparent lack of any awareness of church history, philosophical history, or philosophical or theological categories. His book stands, as it were, alone in the heavens as an untethered--and therefore entirely inapplicable--collection of wishful thoughts. There's no semblance of an anthropology or even an epistemology that could give his arguments a foundation and his readers a basis for understanding his claims. By stringing together quotations from the Bible interwoven with superficial, moral-sounding axioms, Boyd hopes to knit a worldview but falls far short. Christians, apparently, are to be disconnected entirely from this world that God made (the Kingdom of the World) so that they can live a life that "looks like Christ" in the Kingdom of God.

Boyd takes dualism almost to the edge of Gnosticism and leaves no place for man qua man. Boyd's book is self-contradictory in some parts and incoherent in others. At the same time, his thesis, insofar as it's comprehensible, does have merit. No one in their right mind would embrace war and death, hate and injustice, abuse and violence. But eschewing these is human, not exclusively Christian.

To add injury upon insult, the narrator for this audio book can only be described as grating. His tonal timbre is hollow-sounding and his reading cadence is dispassionate and homiletical.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Recommended by a Prof

My American Church History prof in seminary recommended that I read this after I raised a series of questions after class. I found too many holes in official accounts, including books on his syllabus.

Here my questions were answered. If you're uncomfortable with how Christianity has overlapped with nationalism, this could be helpful.

I think it would have been even more powerful if Dr. Boyd would have narrated his book.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Challenging and full of truth

Where does Myth of a Christian Nation rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 5

What was one of the most memorable moments of Myth of a Christian Nation?

How he challenges thoughts on abortion and homosexuality.

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

Actually he was a little boring to listen to but the material he read was great.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Going to make a majority of people upset

Any additional comments?

This book was full of truth, and really challenging. If you''re looking for a book that is going to cheer on the American faith you already have then this ain't the book. However, if you truly want to challenge your biblical faith this book will do that. Great book, great perspective!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Sermon and apologetics

This is one very long sermon showing why according to Christian scriptures the current christian right politics is in his oppinion is not correct christianity.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • D
  • 01-31-24

Committed, comprehensive, clear & consistent

I’ve been a Christian minister for 45 years and have been an avid reader for even longer. If I could recommend only a couple of dozen books for a Christian to take in and deeply digest over the course of a lifetime, this would certainly be one of them. And I would recommend they took it in and consumed near the start of their walk with Christ and re-visit it regularly throughout their walk.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Must Read for anyone following Jesus

This is a wonderful representation of how exactly the world has perverted the Christian faith from a power under focused on the margins, self sacrifice and giving to a power over where control, influence and power are the primary focus pushing a human interpretation of Christian ideals forced on people not following Christ.

Love this book and this challenge it brings

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Real Christianity

The modern evangelical church has bought the Satanic lie and subsequently lost its witness. Without a costly repentance the church will continue to diminish. The “ Let’s go Brandon” chants mock the Gospel and the Prince of peace. But God will restore the beauty of the Gospel and His bride

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read for Christians

This book confirmed what I have been feeling these past few years. I believe we need to take back the name of Christianity for what it should be.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very revealing on What is a Chtistian

I want to THANK the author for this book. This book has helped me reinforce my conviction on WHAT , HOW, and WHY, I love Jesus and the new “Godly religious message” he brought to our aging Old Testament world. I fully appreciate and I am humbled on the great challenge of carrying the cross and not the sword.
I wish I had learned more about Christlike behavior when I was a young father. Its not about growing strong young men to fit in our sword wielding society, but creating strong Christlike young people. Leaders of families and stewardship towards the Kingdom of God world.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Content great, narrator... Eeew

I can't even listen to this one. The first chapter, the voice of me to sleep. After that, the voice and inflection are intolerable.

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