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Zero Theology
Escaping Belief through Catch-22s
by John Tucker
Imprint: Cascade Books
In ZeroTheology, John Tucker argues that not only can one be a Christian without holding any traditional beliefs but that one can only be a Christian by getting out of religious belief altogether. Utilizing the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, John offers a way of escaping the belief/disbelief trap that explains why believers and unbelievers cannot understand each other and why neither understands the alternative religious path that the author promotes. Tucker addresses many of today's most pressing religious questions and introduces his own: Why do evangelicals believe that homosexual fidelity is more harmful to marriage than heterosexual infidelity? Why are believers so bothered by science and so impressed by miracles? What if Sin and Grace are synonyms? What if Jesus is sinless in an ironic way? What is the difference between making judgments and passing judgment? Why does the literal versus metaphorical debate completely miss the point of religious language? Using Catch-22s, ZeroTheology offers a new way of looking at Christian religious life that emphasizes the non-reasonable transcendent choice over the perfectly reasonable choice of belief or unbelief.
John Tucker is an honest religious thinker interested in how language and concepts can both liberate and imprison. He is an Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church. John is originally from Alabama so he understands that fundamentalism is a threat, that college football is king, and that barbecue is a noun. He and his family currently reside in Oregon.
“This book made my head hurt. . . in a good way! I found myself thinking, ‘No. Maybe. Yes. Maybe. I need to think more about this!’ What at first seems unreasonable can bring new theological insights. This book is worth the reading!”
—Thomas Jay Oord, author of God Can't and many other books
“Zero Theology allows us to view religion in a whole new way that negates the limitations of thinking in terms of belief or non-belief. This approach will likely cause consternation among believers and non-believers, as well as much-needed food for thought.
—Linda LaScola, co-author with Daniel C. Dennett of Caught in the Pulpit, Leaving Belief Behind
“There is something I have been trying to put into words for almost twenty years. Reading Zero Theology, I realized what it was. This book will lead you to think thoughts you have almost thought, but needed John Tucker's help to get there.”
—Brian D. McLaren, author/activist
“In ZeroTheology, John Tucker offers a clever and creative exploration of religious life outside the bounds of propositional truth. Readers will find themselves both challenged and prodded to re-examine the ways in which faith takes shape in their lives.”
—Paul Galbreath, Professor of Theology, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina