A Church Dismantled—A Kingdom Restored: Why Is God Taking Apart the Church?

Product Description Written during Covid-19, with the author facing his own "dismantling" by Parkinson's Disease, these personal and prophetic essays consider the declines in the American church as the "dismantling" work of God's Spirit. Kanagy urges that God dismantles for one purpose—that we might see Jesus anew and in the process be converted by the love of Jesus all over again! Book 1 in a new series. Review I would label the writing style of this book as "breezy." In that mode Conrad Kanagy is able to say things and cross many boundaries not possible in a more sober mode. As a result he is able to juxtapose odd partners, push the extremities of exposure, and do a broad sweep of scripture. The subtext of his writing is the scriptural account wherein the biblical community of faith, in its distortion and obduracy, was dismantled in order to make way for an authentic community of mission. Kanagy's subject is the church, in all of its failure and in all its possibility, governed by the Spirit of God. Those who care about the church and its witness will be nourished and guided by this wise book.--Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological SeminaryAbout four years ago Kanagy learned that he had Parkinson's disease. This difficult but liberating experience brought a personal dismantling that transformed his life...The Parkinson's dismantling gave Kanagy the courage, the guts, and the grit to strip off his masks and speak the truth. It empowered him to say and write things that most of us might think but would never say. Setting aside his inhibitions, freed him to reveal his innermost thoughts and struggles. These essays mingle the voice of a prophet, the eye of a sociologist, the heart of a pastor, the wisdom of an educator, and above all the candid confessions of a child of God. Whatever your identities—religious, skeptic, political, racial, gender, class—you will find his essays provocative. His unvarnished honesty and his picturesque language are refreshing. Kanagy invites us to see things in new ways that jolt our spiritual complacency. You may not agree with him on every point, but you will admire his courage to say it as he sees it. He may stir your ire or light your fire, annoy you or compel you to compassion. Prophetic voices do that. But you will keep on reading. His poignant stories, evocative phrases, and frank confessions will entice you to read on and on to the very last line. I promise!--Donald B. Kraybill, author of The Upside-Down Kingdom, 1978, revised edition 2018.An excellent book for church leaders and congregants who intuitively understand that "returning to normal" is not a realistic or compelling vision for the future. Kanagy writes from many years of pastoral ministry, as a sociology professor, and from challenging personal experiences. Having been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at a relatively young age, he models a depth of vulnerability not often seen in pastors or professors. He writes with hope while being painfully honest about his personal struggles and the failures of the church to fully represent the Jesus many claim to follow.--Loren Swartzendruber, President Emeritus, Eastern Mennonite University From the Author To receive ongoing updates of the forthcoming books in the A Church Dismantled series, as well as periodic blog posts, subscribe at achurchdismantled.com. Thank you! About the Author Conrad L. Kanagy is Professor of Sociology at Elizabethtown College, PA and as a sociologist of religion and ordained Mennonite minister, has been writing about American Christianity for three decades. Dr. Kanagy is a graduate of Wheaton College, IL and Penn State University.