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Confessions of a Bible Thumper
Confessions of a Bible Thumper is Michael Camp's examination that sent him on an illuminating spiritual adventure, a tenacious quest for a vibrant but reasoned faith in God. His deepening doubts propelled him to uncover nine "heretical" revelations that turn evangelical theology on its head. Through entertaining personal vignettes and lively conversations over craft beer, readers learn how he ultimately adopted a new vision for a progressive - but not stereotypical - faith in Christ. Sure to rattle the Religious Right and befuddle the Secular Left, this brutally honest personal pilgrimage will both challenge and encourage readers to rethink all things sacred and embrace a faith full of grace and reason. Reviews & Endorsements "Camp's book marks an important milestone. It adds another chapter to a growing body of literature about what it is like to awake from the evangelical dream and discover that you've been living a nightmare. I recommend this book!" - Frank Schaeffer , Author of Crazy for God
"...a provocative and insightful memoir by an evangelical Christian who dares to quit blindly accepting the bible-based' assumptions of fundamentalism..." - Mel White , Author of Stranger at the Gate and Holy Terror
"...has all the marks of a spiritual classic. Its honesty, courage, humor, and real God' experiences are the mandatory rungs in the ladder people need to climb out of today's toxic cocktail of fundamentalism and cynicism, and walk boldly into the dazzling light of authentic spirituality. Bravo!" - Jessica Maxwell , Author of Roll Around Heaven
"An important book for both conservative and progressive Christians. Much of it reads like a novel while being highly instructive." - Marcus Borg , Jesus scholar and author of 21 books
"...a provocative and insightful memoir by an evangelical Christian who dares to quit blindly accepting the bible-based' assumptions of fundamentalism..." - Mel White , Author of Stranger at the Gate and Holy Terror
"...has all the marks of a spiritual classic. Its honesty, courage, humor, and real God' experiences are the mandatory rungs in the ladder people need to climb out of today's toxic cocktail of fundamentalism and cynicism, and walk boldly into the dazzling light of authentic spirituality. Bravo!" - Jessica Maxwell , Author of Roll Around Heaven
"An important book for both conservative and progressive Christians. Much of it reads like a novel while being highly instructive." - Marcus Borg , Jesus scholar and author of 21 books
350 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2012
About the author
Michael Camp
10 books10 followersMichael Camp is a former Baptist missionary and aid worker for evangelical organizations. Off and on for seven years, he lived and worked in Somalia, Kenya, and Malawi. He has also traveled in Asia extensively representing missions and development organizations. He has worked for Food for the Hungry, World Concern, and World Vision.
After more than 25 years of involvement in the evangelical movement, including as a missionary, pro-life activist, and lay leader, Michael walked out of the church and conservative religion. He tells this story in his book, Confessions of a Bible Thumper.
In his second book, Craft Brewed Jesus, he shares discoveries of history that have fascinating implications for re-thinking Christian faith.
Michael's third book is
After more than 25 years of involvement in the evangelical movement, including as a missionary, pro-life activist, and lay leader, Michael walked out of the church and conservative religion. He tells this story in his book, Confessions of a Bible Thumper.
In his second book, Craft Brewed Jesus, he shares discoveries of history that have fascinating implications for re-thinking Christian faith.
Michael's third book is
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 23, 2015
I don't know what more to say, but this book is an almost exact representation of where I have been and where I am currently at in my spiritual journey as a believer of Christ. A lot of what I was spoon-fed as a baby Christian over 20 years ago is wrong, dogmatic, and religious mumbo-jumbo. And, it took me 20 years to realize this. When I first became a believer I was brought up in a fundamentalist, right-wing, conservative, Evangelical culture. But, as I got to know Jesus more and as I understood Scripture differently than my peers, I began to see things that didn't quite jive with the brand of Christianity that I was being fed. While I remain staunchly conservative on a handful of Christian fundamentals, I am in most part liberal and progressive on all others. But, where I stand on: hell, homosexuality, the afterlife, the nature of the Bible, salvation, purpose of missions, the way we do church, politics, and several other issues would likely make me branded a heretic or one of those "liberals". I'm at a point in my life where I sit on the periphery of mainstream evangelical Christianity. I connect less and less with conservative Evangelicals, and more and more with like-minded believers, those of other faiths, and even non-believers too. Perhaps this is where God wants us... out of the comforts of our Christian bubbles, and into the world where people need to see the Light of Christ and His love in action.
Camp's book addresses all of these issues and more. If you are at a crossroads of faith and are troubled by some of the doctrines and ideologies you have been taught, and find yourself detached and disenfranchised with churchianity, then please give careful consideration to reading "Confessions of a Bible Thumper". You won't be disappointed.
Camp's book addresses all of these issues and more. If you are at a crossroads of faith and are troubled by some of the doctrines and ideologies you have been taught, and find yourself detached and disenfranchised with churchianity, then please give careful consideration to reading "Confessions of a Bible Thumper". You won't be disappointed.
August 17, 2012
This well written memoir moved me because it gave a voice to many of the feelings that people wonder about in their traditional faiths, but are afraid to ask. Secret thoughts, emotions and memories resonated with my own past and present life and made me laugh, cry and look at my faith in a different way. I felt the biblical references were well researched and validated the author’s perspective. The story’s challenging discussions between trusted and warm friends appreciating craft beer in an inviting contemporary brewery and examining the hard questions made this an engaging read.
October 11, 2019
Very controversial, really makes you think, makes you mad, makes you question, but couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed the book, although I can't agree with everything, yet not saying the author is wrong. A book that really makes you think about what you've been taught in institutional religion. I have come to be more accepting of others and to not feel guilty about questioning everything.
September 1, 2019
Some people think too much. This guy is one of them. I quit at page 902. I felt like I was into Calvinism.
March 7, 2013
[In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Goodreads First Reads.]
Those people who know me may be surprised to see that I read this book, as I am not involved in evangelicalism, am not religious, and am not even a Christian. However, those people who really know me will not at all be surprised to see I read this book, as I am first and foremost a learner.
Ordinarily I do not disclose my religious preferences in book reviews, but in this case, I feel it is warranted. Certainly you want to know where I'm coming from, whether I have any religious credibility before you decide whether my review is gospel (pun intended) or horseshit. And, that's fair. So, here you go: I was baptized and confirmed as a Methodist. I attended Catholic school for 4 years. I have read parts of the Torah, New Testament, Qur'an, and select Buddhist texts (that I can't pronounce). I enjoy learning about numerous topics, including different religions. So, naturally, I'm an agnostic.
Camp's book, Confessions of a Bible Thumper, examines his experiences with evangelicalism and his disenchantment with it as he explores several controversial topics. Camp discusses the evangelical church's position on abortion, sex, homosexuality, masturbation, evolution, and the apocalypse while educating the reader about the problems of taking biblical passages out of context and language mistranslation. While I didn't find Camp's "confessions" to be that controversial, I understand that, as a member of a conservative evangelical church, they may very well have been considered blasphemous.
The overarching theme throughout the book is the importance of God's love and love for our neighbor. The religion or belief system to which we subscribe is not as important as the law of love. A microbrew enthusiast, Camp does a good job of providing both sides of the argument, and supporting both sides with sources. In fact, I dogeared at least 20 pages where I had marked a book or article Camp mentioned that I was interested in reading.
I found Camp's book interesting and an easy and straightforward read. I was impressed with his writing style, his extensive list of sources, and his great taste in beer. Certain parts of the book dragged on and some assertions became repetitive. Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars.
Those people who know me may be surprised to see that I read this book, as I am not involved in evangelicalism, am not religious, and am not even a Christian. However, those people who really know me will not at all be surprised to see I read this book, as I am first and foremost a learner.
Ordinarily I do not disclose my religious preferences in book reviews, but in this case, I feel it is warranted. Certainly you want to know where I'm coming from, whether I have any religious credibility before you decide whether my review is gospel (pun intended) or horseshit. And, that's fair. So, here you go: I was baptized and confirmed as a Methodist. I attended Catholic school for 4 years. I have read parts of the Torah, New Testament, Qur'an, and select Buddhist texts (that I can't pronounce). I enjoy learning about numerous topics, including different religions. So, naturally, I'm an agnostic.
Camp's book, Confessions of a Bible Thumper, examines his experiences with evangelicalism and his disenchantment with it as he explores several controversial topics. Camp discusses the evangelical church's position on abortion, sex, homosexuality, masturbation, evolution, and the apocalypse while educating the reader about the problems of taking biblical passages out of context and language mistranslation. While I didn't find Camp's "confessions" to be that controversial, I understand that, as a member of a conservative evangelical church, they may very well have been considered blasphemous.
The overarching theme throughout the book is the importance of God's love and love for our neighbor. The religion or belief system to which we subscribe is not as important as the law of love. A microbrew enthusiast, Camp does a good job of providing both sides of the argument, and supporting both sides with sources. In fact, I dogeared at least 20 pages where I had marked a book or article Camp mentioned that I was interested in reading.
I found Camp's book interesting and an easy and straightforward read. I was impressed with his writing style, his extensive list of sources, and his great taste in beer. Certain parts of the book dragged on and some assertions became repetitive. Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars.
August 14, 2012
I must say that I liked Confessions of a Bible Thumper for at least two reasons.
First, I found it to be very readable. The style is informal and conversational. It was almost like the author was speaking directly to a group of friends. Well, he actaually does just that in the sections that are set in the local Seattle pub. Nothing boring and dry here! Also, each chapter ends with a paragraph or two that act as a bridge to the next chapter. I found these to be like little cliff hangers that made me want to read on. Not to mix metaphors.
Secondly, the book is well researched and thought out. In the notes there are numerous references to scripture and literature that the author uses to support his views. He is not just pulling stuff out of the air. Also, since the author has listed his sources he has provided an excellent bibliography for additional reading.
Some readers may find Confessions of a Bible Thumper infuriating. If you are a conservative Christian what you read may "rock your world." Others will find it affirming. Those with a more progressive world view may resonate with what the author has to say. Regardless, the topics dealt with are worth anyone's time to dig deeper into and examine.
First, I found it to be very readable. The style is informal and conversational. It was almost like the author was speaking directly to a group of friends. Well, he actaually does just that in the sections that are set in the local Seattle pub. Nothing boring and dry here! Also, each chapter ends with a paragraph or two that act as a bridge to the next chapter. I found these to be like little cliff hangers that made me want to read on. Not to mix metaphors.
Secondly, the book is well researched and thought out. In the notes there are numerous references to scripture and literature that the author uses to support his views. He is not just pulling stuff out of the air. Also, since the author has listed his sources he has provided an excellent bibliography for additional reading.
Some readers may find Confessions of a Bible Thumper infuriating. If you are a conservative Christian what you read may "rock your world." Others will find it affirming. Those with a more progressive world view may resonate with what the author has to say. Regardless, the topics dealt with are worth anyone's time to dig deeper into and examine.
October 29, 2013
Awesome book for people willing to think for themselves. Confronts most of the hot-button issues in Christianity today...Hell, Sexuality, Politics, etc. Most of what I believed about God and Christianity is what others have told me...pastor, parents, teachers. I'm pretty sure that most of these people did not investigate the issues for themselves, but rather just accepted what they were taught by others.
Yes, I've radically changed my beliefs from what I was taught. I now think for myself. I'm willing to investigate controversies for myself and let the evidence speak for itself. I'm willing to listen to my own heart. I'm willing to embrace uncertainty knowing that I don't have all the answers. I'm willing to disagree with the prevailing views of the Christian world, or at least my part of it.
Yes, I've radically changed my beliefs from what I was taught. I now think for myself. I'm willing to investigate controversies for myself and let the evidence speak for itself. I'm willing to listen to my own heart. I'm willing to embrace uncertainty knowing that I don't have all the answers. I'm willing to disagree with the prevailing views of the Christian world, or at least my part of it.
August 9, 2015
There's good insights from Michael Camp who's modified his Evangelical beliefs over decades, but I tended to black out while reading his intricate reasoning. It was a sloooow but enjoyable read for me LOL due to his black letter interpretation of the Bible. IMO it's misguided to interpret Biblical texts literally when the ancient scribes wrote notes on the margins of the page to correct & annotate their text. Scribes who later copied the copy were often uncertain if a note was intended to be included as part of the text, plus they made new errors of their own. Plus many eye witnesses to events described things differently to the original authors. So, over time different regions evolved different versions, each with its own facts, omissions, and additions.
September 5, 2012
The author brings up a lot of important issues to evangelicals and post-evangelicals today. I have heard stories like his a lot recently, so I'm left wondering, a bit, just why I should be reading his. He also gets too bogged down in his bar-room conversations with friends.
Still this was a helpful book in thinking through issues like homosexuality, evolution, and hell with an unconventional perspective.
Still this was a helpful book in thinking through issues like homosexuality, evolution, and hell with an unconventional perspective.
February 19, 2013
Very controversial, really makes you think, makes you mad, makes you question, but couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed the book, although I can't agree with everything, yet not saying the author is wrong. A book that really makes you think about what you've been taught in institutional religion. I have come to be more accepting of others and to not feel guilty about questioning everything.
June 16, 2012
An excellent book for anyone searching for answers. This book covers how one man explored all aspects of what it means to be religious in today's world. It is very well written and I highly recommend it.
January 31, 2013
Wonderfully written. I dont want to give anything away, but Michael Camp does a an excellent job with this book. I finished it in about two days, and look forward to reading more works by this author!
February 4, 2013
I loved the writers viewpoint on his faith. While some of us search for answers, he gives an honest open opinion of his faith. An eye opener with humor and honesty included. So glad to have read the book. Ive now shared it with a pastor friend of mine.
August 13, 2012
This is a book that will challenge your evangelical views!
July 13, 2012
Easy read. Very informative for anyone with questions. Presented several new ideas, brought clarity to some old notions, but also came short of where I have come to in a few areas.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews