'A grace filled, God filled book of truth and wonder and the glorious mystical experience of faith.' - Stan Grant
'Inspiring and engrossing' - Richard Glover
'A trustworthy and encouraging blueprint for Christians everywhere' - Anthony Fisher
The first Christians confronted a cultural environment vastly more hostile than today's. They had no powerful backers, very little money and numbered no more than a few hundred. Yet they revolutionised the ancient world and spread their movement far and wide.
There is a deep, pervasive crisis of meaning and purpose across all Western societies today. Greg Sheridan encourages us to listen to the voices of the early Christians and emulate their commitment, integrity, resilience and smarts. He shows how early Christians built communities, met persecution with courage and grace, dispensed universal mercy during plagues, pioneered equality for women, and redefined the nature and purpose of the human experience, always with Jesus Christ at the centre of their lives.
He also charts the journeys of modern Christians who live by those same values today: Leila and Danny Abdallah, who met great suffering with great forgiveness, young people making a radical commitment to faith, country pastors, and Christians inspired to welcome and help the homeless. He profiles cultural leaders who communicate Christianity with great effect, including Marilynne Robinson, Jordan Peterson, Bishop Robert Barron, Pastor Mark Varughese, former US Vice President Mike Pence and Dallas Jenkins, the creator of The Chosen television series.
It's a powerful and inspiring message of what living Jesus-centric lives, seeing God in every human being, and finding access to the transcendent can mean for ordinary people. It could once again transform our fractious, polarised world.
'This book is deeply encouraging for Christians, and perhaps thought-provoking for secularists.' - Sydney Morning Herald
'Who would have thought that a journalist would turn out to be one of Christianity's best public advocates? Sheridan is becoming a Chesterton for our time.' - Tony Abbott, The Spectator
'A significant offering to a morally bereft world that is increasingly tearing itself apart. Sheridan has a great deal of sound advice and presents a compelling argument for rediscovering the strength and compassion of the early Christians.' - Michael McGirr, The Australian
'I truly believe that Sheridan's excellent book can help us meet the prophetic moment that is our time with spiritual insight and courage' - Rev Dr Greg Morgan, Catholic Weekly
'A wonderful mix of historical observation, social commentary and moving interviews' - Michael Bird
'A clarion call to return to the raw, revolutionary faith of the early church' - Russell Evans
