The Dishonest Church Author:Jack Good Two distinct styles of faith characterize the mainline Protestant churches in the U.S. One is the faith of the academy, theologically informed but arid and intellectual. The other is popular Christianity, an energetic mixture of tradition and superstition that provides fellowship and comfort but cannot answer the challenges posed by historical a... more »nd scientific knowledge. Mainline pastors tend to hold an academic faith, but, lest they scandalize the laity, they preach a popular one. Meanwhile, those who seek a faith adequate to the modern world are silently disappearing from the pews. The Dishonest Church is an unblinking look at the reasons behind the decline of the mainline churches, and a prescription for a long overdue remedy: honesty! It is also a celebration of a faith tradition that continues to evolve as it confronts the Ultimate Mystery. The book insists that the only way to preserve this tradition is to allow it to do what it has always done: adjust to new realities. Readers of this book will be affirmed in their desire to stand at the intersection of a dynamic tradition and an open future.« less