Next to Nothing

“James Champion invites us to find rest, freedom, and wisdom in doing theology humbly. We cannot comprehend God with finite minds and words, much less pick God’s brain. Our truest communication with the divine begins in silence. In the experience of God’s absence, including our suffering and our dying, we begin to know God’s presence. Apart from formulas, icons, and idols, we listen in silence—and find reason to dance, kneel, love, and be loved.”


—Frederick Niedner, senior research professor in theology, Valparaiso University





“This is the kind of theological writing I most appreciate. It is personal, yet not overly self-referential. It is informed by current cultural issues without simply rehashing prevalent critical trends. James Champion’s book demonstrates wide-ranging reflections on classic sources without venture into pedantic minutia. His reading of Paul Tillich is especially worthy of note in this regard. Most of all, Champion makes you think about your own experience of life in ways different than perhaps you have done before.”


—Daniel Liechty, professor emeritus of human development, Illinois State University





“This book is a joy to read. Next to Nothing is nourishing, deep water for the thirsty soul. James Champion takes the reader on a journey through some of the most profound insights of the humanities and the social sciences as he demonstrates that religion is a viable path to discovering the most profound and constructive elements of our humanity. Religion is not doomed to be a destructive force but can open up better horizons when seen through the lens of existential and apophatic theology.”


—Kyle Roberts, professor of public theology and church and economic life, United Theological Seminary