CHRISTIANITYS DANGEROUS IDEA PB

Protestantism is one of the world's largest and most dynamic religious movements, currently experiencing major growth and expansion in many parts of the world. This book sets out to explore the inner identity of this movement, and its implications for the religious future of humanity. The 'dangerous idea' lying at the heart of Protestantism is that every individual has the right and responsibility to interpret the Bible. With no overarching authority to rein in 'wayward' thought, opposing sides on controversial issues appeal to the same text, yet interpret it in very different ways. The spread of this principle has led to five hundred years of remarkable innovation and adaptability - but also to cultural incoherence and instability.'Christianity's Dangerous Idea' is the first book that attempts to define this core element of Protestantism, and the religious and cultural dynamic that this 'dangerous idea' has unleashed. Its three major sections explore the history of the movement, engage with the distinctive features of Protestant belief and practice, and offer a provocative assessment of Protestantism's global future.