Saving Christians: The gift of a multifaith world
What if the religious diversity isn't a threat to Christian faith, but a gift?
Saving Christians: The Gift of a Multifaith World invites Christians to discover how other religions can deepen their own Christian faith.
This book is not about other religions rescuing Christianity.
And it is not about Christians abandoning their own faith tradition.
Instead, Saving Christians asks what might happen if Christians approach other faiths with curiosity, humility and a willingness to learn.
What Can Christians Learn from Other Religions?
We live in a religiously diverse world.
Our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, friends, and communities may practice Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, or other religious traditions.
Too often, Christians encounter religious difference primarily through headlines, stereotypes, or abstract information.
But there is a rich treasure trove of beauty and depth in these traditions that add to the love and goodness in the world.
What happens when Christians cross religious boundaries?
What might Christians discover about their own faith when they listen carefully to the faith of someone else?
Saving Christians explores those questions through storytelling and encounters with Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam.
A Multifaith World Can Be a Gift
The book's central argument is simple:
Other religious traditions do not have to be competitors to Christianity. They can become partners in helping us live more faithfully.
Encountering another tradition can challenge our assumptions, broaden our understanding, expose us to practices of faith we might otherwise overlook, and invite us to take our own commitments more seriously.
The goal is not to erase religious differences.
The goal is to recognize the gift of religious traditions even among the differences.
Love, Justice & Faithful Action
At the heart of Saving Christians is an invitation to love more fully.
Our faith calls us to love God and love our neighbors, what does that look like in a religiously diverse world?
Can other religious traditions help us become more loving, more humble, and more committed to justice?
Saving Christians argues that they can.
For Churches & Small Groups
This book can be read on its own. It’s also designed to be explored in community.
Each chapter includes discussion questions, making the book suitable for church groups, small groups, classes, and other communities interested in exploring Christian faith and religious diversity.
A six-week discussion guide will also be available for groups that want to read and discuss the book together.
Who is this book for?
Saving Christians is for Christians who:
want to better understand people of other faiths
want to think more deeply about Christian identity
care about love, justice, and faithful action
are interested in interfaith relationships
have friends, neighbors, or colleagues from other religious traditions
or simply wonder what Christians might learn from the religious diversity around them
It is also designed for pastors, church leaders, educators, small groups, and communities looking for a way to begin meaningful conversations about religious difference.
About the Author
Joel Simpson is a United Methodist pastor, preacher, teacher, writer, and Christian leader whose work explores faith, justice, religious diversity, and relationships across difference.
He currently pursues a Doctor of Ministry at Duke University focused on Missional Innovation.
Get the Book
Saving Christians: The Gift of a Multifaith World is published by Orbis Books
Available February 2027
Bring Saving Christians to your church or group
Interested in using Saving Christians with your congregation, small group, class, or community?