The Messiah Formerly Known As Jesus

The landscape of contemporary evangelical Christianity is a complex one, but in Tom Breen it has an excellent, entertaining tour guide, especially if you find concepts like "humility" and "facts" and "necessary footnotes" to be mere annoyances in the way of good writing. Swat those gnats aside, put on a Christian t-shirt, and enjoy the brilliance. Jason Boyett, author of Pocket Guide to the Bible and Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse
In this entertaining gem of religious satire, Breen, an AP journalist, skewers American Christianity from every imaginable angle. Calling himself the 'Internet Theologian,' Breen romps through the Bible, religious history, denominational differences, Halloween, contemporary Christian music and spectator sports, among other topics. Some of the book is pure silliness, but other sections achieve that elusive 'perfect storm' where humor is sharpened by raw intelligence and a keen knowledge of history and theology. Even Breen's glossary of terms is hilarious. Heck, even his endnotes are funny and not to be missed. (One says merely, 'Seriously. Wasn't Calvin a nut?') Readers seeking irreverent, laugh-out-loud musings on the sometimes ludicrous intersections between faith and pop culture will want to read this insouciant guide. -- Publisher's Weekly