Second New Book Published

I have just published a book, titled Following Jesus: Perspectives From Twelve Christian Traditions, that creates a coherent synthesis of the electronic conversation (eCircle) reported on below under the title “Twelve Month Electronic Conversation Starting on August 1, 2021.”

Click here to see a summary of the book as well as a live link to an Amazon page that one can use to order a copy.

On Being “Saved”

This Musing consists of three parts. Part 1, written by me (Harold Heie), reflects on my “conversion” experience at age 13, and my subsequent thoughts about whether that early experience comprises all of what it means to be “saved.” This first part is written from the perspective of a lay-person who is not a biblical scholar. As you will read, I raise a series of questions about my report regarding this personal experience that I call for a biblical scholar to answer.

Enter Paul Borgman, a long-time friend, who is a professor of English emeritus at Gordon College (MA), who is an astute biblical scholar. In Part 2 of this Musing, Paul reports on his personal experience of what it means to be “saved,” in addition to responding to the “Leading Questions” that I pose (but leave unanswered), in my Part 1 essay.

Part 3 of this joint Musing consists of the conclusions I draw from the Part 1 and Part 2 essays, which includes my recommendations for what Christian churches now need to do.

Read more

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Twelve Month Electronic Conversation starting on August 1, 2021

Following Jesus: Perspectives from Diverse Christian Traditions

Moderator: Harold Heie

Twelve Month Agenda

Leading Question for the first of the month (Directed to the conversation partner for the tradition being featured for the month)

What are the various views of those who worship in your tradition as to what it means to “follow Jesus” and what is the primary view?

Leading Question for the 15th of the month postings (Directed to the other eleven conversation partners)

What major agreements and disagreements do you have with the views expressed in the posting of the conversation partner who submitted the first of the month posting as to what it means to “follow Jesus,” and what have you learned from that posting that has the potential to enrich, or possibly provide a corrective, to the primary view of those who worship in your tradition as to what it means to “follow Jesus?”

Leading Question for the final day of the month posting (Directed to the conversation partner being featured for the month)

As you review the eleven 15th of the month postings from the other conversation partners, what were the main things you learned from other traditions that will be helpful to those who worship in your tradition as they seek to faithfully follow Jesus into the future

Readers of this website can participate in this conversation by submitting a comment (Reply) at the bottom of any posting (see the “Comment Policy” below).