Windness argues that the traditional churches of today that try to hold on to the old doctrines and dogmas are fated to fail. Using data concerning the rising number of people who now claim no affiliation with a religion, he claims the church is failing to attract and keep parishioners. Using scripture to fortify his position, the author emphasizes the fact that love, not doctrine, is at the center of the teachings of Christ. In fact, he states that ancient dogma and doctrines recited in churches "are embedded in an ancient worldview that is no longer possible for modern people of discernment to believe; moreover they are simply not true." This book explains in detail how he came to believe this and his plan for making the modern church more relevant to today's parishioners. Windness calls for a church more concerned with knowing God than emphasizing "right belief."

There is much to unpack here, but the author handles his argument well, and the premise is easy to follow. He includes charts and data to back up his view "that orthodoxy has failed and must be replaced by my new paradigm, a truly life-giving reformulation of historic orthodoxy we moderns can totally embrace." Using the scientific method, the author establishes his theory step by step by first examining the early church and the historical Jesus. His argument is well-defined, and his research into church history and the creation of church doctrine is eye-opening. The section on how he came to believe as he does is informative and explanatory. This is a good choice for anyone seeking an answer to the problems of dwindling church attendance and a modern society that no longer finds much meaning in ancient church doctrine. Well-researched and well-written, it is a truly fascinating read.

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