Christianity or Churchianity: Finding the Lost Message of Christ

When the founders of the early Roman Church created the Christian religion, were they able to capture the truth as found in the actual gospel words of Jesus Christ? Are what we think of as traditional institutions really conveying the true message of love and compassion? In Christianity or Churchianity: Finding the Lost Message of Christ, author J. Craig Woods argues that the original meaning has been lost in a quagmire of politics and policy.

As the titles implies, contemporary Christians are often offered by their churches not the original philosophy of Christ but a church-centered interpretation distorted by "middlemen" who have contributed to a warped vision of Christianity's original messages. In this updated edition, published by Word Branch Publishing, Woods tells readers that the Gospel of love was never intended to be a collection of creeds and doctrines created by a select group of self-appointed clerics whose creation of church dogma has only resulted in disputation, division and bloodshed throughout the ages.

This controversial book poses important questions that all Christians, as well as non-Christians, need to consider as the role of Christianity shifts to an ever more political institution. Woods assists the reader in discovering the Christian theology that reflects the real meaning of unconditional love as found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Drawing on his background in both psychology and philosophy, Woods outlines the history and background of Christianity while he illustrates where the original message of Jesus Christ has been lost to an often self-serving and political hierarchy.

Woods sums it up for his readers in saying, "We have no need for any doctrines or dogmas. True Christianity is universal kinship. The message of Jesus Christ, as recorded in both canonical and non-canonical sources, will be used as our spiritual road map." Using quotes from literature and music, he blends meticulous research with a truly readable narrative that is a valuable tool for both scholars and laypeople.