
Out of the Embers
Faith After the Great Deconstruction
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Boyd Barrett
-
By:
-
Bradley Jersak
About this listen
Deconstruction: Trendy brand name for falling away from belief in God? Or a process essential to authentic faith?
Liberation or trauma? Prison break or exile?
It’s complicated. Just like you.
Christian history records a Great Reformation and a Great Awakening. But today’s “Great Deconstruction” will surely leave an equally profound impact.
In Out of the Embers, Bradley Jersak explores the necessity, perils, and possibilities of the Great Deconstruction—how it has the potential to either sabotage our communion with God or infuse it with the breath of life, the light and life of Christ himself.
In this collection of vulnerable memoirs, philosophical memos, and candid provocations, Jersak resists both the hand-wringing urge to corral stray sheep and the exultant desire to play the happy-clappy Ex-vangelical cheerleader. He employs the wisdom and expertise of the great deconstructionists—Christianity’s ancient influences (Moses, Plato, Paul, and the Patristics), “beloved frenemies” (from Voltaire to Nietzsche), and the masters of deconstruction (Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, and Weil)—to double down and deconstruct deconstruction itself.
Where is faith after deconstruction? The author’s heart is to engage and empathize with the bereft and disoriented, stoking the brittle ashes for live embers. In this quest for the resilient gospel of the martyrs, the marginal, and those outside the threshold...inexplicably, in this liminal space, life stirs. A Light shines through the ashes. We find, often for the first time, that living connection Jersak calls “presence in communion.”
There is a sea change occurring across the Western church and civilization. Whether we’re watching a radical course correction or a complete collapse remains to be seen, and how it pans out will likely depend on how we see what’s happening, who we are becoming, how we live in response—and, most important, where we find Christ situated in this storm.
©2022 Bradley Jersak (P)2022 Bradley JersakListeners also enjoyed...
-
In
- Incarnation & Inclusion, Abba & Lamb
- By: Bradley Jersak, Jamie Winship, Donna Winship
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The question I address in this brief work is how Christ-followers might hold the tension of these two abiding and complementary truths: 1. Christ’s one-of-a-kind revelation 2. Abba’s all-inclusive love. I believe that Sacred Scripture and Christ himself affirm both these doctrines in a mind-blowing fullness. And yet those who enthusiastically profess either one of these two truths frequently do so at the expense of their complement.
-
-
Excellent
- By ENV on 01-17-22
By: Bradley Jersak, and others
-
A More Christlike Word
- Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way
- By: Bradley Jersak
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message - and our view of God. Tragically, this has caused multitudes of people unnecessary doubt, confusion, and pain in their encounters with the scriptures.
-
-
Material Great, Narrator Not So Much
- By PeppermintPanda on 08-26-22
By: Bradley Jersak
-
A More Christlike God
- A More Beautiful Gospel
- By: Bradley Jersak
- Narrated by: Tim Welch
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether our notions of "God" are personal projections or inherited traditions, author and theologian Brad Jersak proposes a radical reassessment, arguing for a more Christlike God and a more beautiful Gospel. A More Christlike God suggests that such a God would be very good news indeed - a God who Jesus "unwrathed" from dead religion, a love that is always toward us, and a grace that pours into this suffering world through willing, human partners.
-
-
Audible chose the wrong narrator!
- By Not-so-Plain Jane on 10-07-19
By: Bradley Jersak
-
Curveball
- When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming (or How I Stumbled and Tripped My Way to Finding a Bigger God)
- By: Peter Enns
- Narrated by: Peter Enns
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life throws us “curve balls”—from devastating personal losses to world tragedies. These events often leave us doubting God, the Bible, and our faith. But instead of pushing away our reservations, we should embrace them, Peter Enns argues. A leading biblical scholar and Christian mentor, Enns has never been afraid to question the Bible or Christian beliefs. Such thoughtful inquisitiveness, he argues, is part of God’s plan. He wants us to question, because doing so actually leads to a stronger, lasting faith.
-
-
A personal testimony
- By Jim H. on 03-03-23
By: Peter Enns
-
Destined for Joy
- The Gospel of Universal Salvation
- By: Alvin Kimel, David Bentley Hart
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Destined for Joy is a collection of essays devoted to the theme of the absolute love of God and the gospel of universal salvation. Written over a period of 10 years and revised for publication in this volume, they represent the fruition of the author’s theological and spiritual development over a span of four decades in parish ministry. If God has truly revealed himself in his incarnate Son Jesus Christ as absolute and unconditional love, does this not mean that he intends the salvation of all?
-
-
Hope after death
- By Frimann on 10-29-24
By: Alvin Kimel, and others
-
The Pastor: A Crisis
- By: Bradley Jersak, Wm. Paul Young
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett, Pete Lutz, Holly Adams, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Crisis! An explosive public meltdown. A violent incident in the psychiatric ward. Now the Pastor stares into the abyss of his own secret shame. Before he can be free, he must confront his demons and find grace. But will he let go? Will he allow himself to be healed?
-
-
The Journey of Healing Through Exposure
- By Anonymous User on 03-10-24
By: Bradley Jersak, and others
-
In
- Incarnation & Inclusion, Abba & Lamb
- By: Bradley Jersak, Jamie Winship, Donna Winship
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The question I address in this brief work is how Christ-followers might hold the tension of these two abiding and complementary truths: 1. Christ’s one-of-a-kind revelation 2. Abba’s all-inclusive love. I believe that Sacred Scripture and Christ himself affirm both these doctrines in a mind-blowing fullness. And yet those who enthusiastically profess either one of these two truths frequently do so at the expense of their complement.
-
-
Excellent
- By ENV on 01-17-22
By: Bradley Jersak, and others
-
A More Christlike Word
- Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way
- By: Bradley Jersak
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message - and our view of God. Tragically, this has caused multitudes of people unnecessary doubt, confusion, and pain in their encounters with the scriptures.
-
-
Material Great, Narrator Not So Much
- By PeppermintPanda on 08-26-22
By: Bradley Jersak
-
A More Christlike God
- A More Beautiful Gospel
- By: Bradley Jersak
- Narrated by: Tim Welch
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether our notions of "God" are personal projections or inherited traditions, author and theologian Brad Jersak proposes a radical reassessment, arguing for a more Christlike God and a more beautiful Gospel. A More Christlike God suggests that such a God would be very good news indeed - a God who Jesus "unwrathed" from dead religion, a love that is always toward us, and a grace that pours into this suffering world through willing, human partners.
-
-
Audible chose the wrong narrator!
- By Not-so-Plain Jane on 10-07-19
By: Bradley Jersak
-
Curveball
- When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming (or How I Stumbled and Tripped My Way to Finding a Bigger God)
- By: Peter Enns
- Narrated by: Peter Enns
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life throws us “curve balls”—from devastating personal losses to world tragedies. These events often leave us doubting God, the Bible, and our faith. But instead of pushing away our reservations, we should embrace them, Peter Enns argues. A leading biblical scholar and Christian mentor, Enns has never been afraid to question the Bible or Christian beliefs. Such thoughtful inquisitiveness, he argues, is part of God’s plan. He wants us to question, because doing so actually leads to a stronger, lasting faith.
-
-
A personal testimony
- By Jim H. on 03-03-23
By: Peter Enns
-
Destined for Joy
- The Gospel of Universal Salvation
- By: Alvin Kimel, David Bentley Hart
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Destined for Joy is a collection of essays devoted to the theme of the absolute love of God and the gospel of universal salvation. Written over a period of 10 years and revised for publication in this volume, they represent the fruition of the author’s theological and spiritual development over a span of four decades in parish ministry. If God has truly revealed himself in his incarnate Son Jesus Christ as absolute and unconditional love, does this not mean that he intends the salvation of all?
-
-
Hope after death
- By Frimann on 10-29-24
By: Alvin Kimel, and others
-
The Pastor: A Crisis
- By: Bradley Jersak, Wm. Paul Young
- Narrated by: Boyd Barrett, Pete Lutz, Holly Adams, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Crisis! An explosive public meltdown. A violent incident in the psychiatric ward. Now the Pastor stares into the abyss of his own secret shame. Before he can be free, he must confront his demons and find grace. But will he let go? Will he allow himself to be healed?
-
-
The Journey of Healing Through Exposure
- By Anonymous User on 03-10-24
By: Bradley Jersak, and others
-
A More Christlike Way
- A More Beautiful Faith
- By: Bradley Jersak
- Narrated by: Tim Welch
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his previous work, A More Christlike God, Brad Jersak looked to the incarnation of Jesus Christ to reveal the true nature of God as self-giving, radically forgiving, compassionate love. In this follow-up audiobook, after deconstructing four counterfeit ways, Jersak explores seven facets of the Jesus Way. Christ's radical revelation of true humanity beckons us, "Would you be human? Take up your cross and follow me."
-
-
WRONG NARRATOR!
- By Frankierae on 11-20-19
By: Bradley Jersak
-
When Everything's on Fire
- Faith Forged from the Ashes
- By: Brian Zahnd
- Narrated by: Levi Macallister
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Intellectual certainty has long been a cornerstone of the Christian faith. But in an age of secularism, skepticism, and cynicism, our worldviews have been shaken. Various solutions exist - some double down on certainty, while others deconstruct their faith until there is nothing left at all. But Brian Zahnd offers a third way: What is needed is not a demolition, but instead a renovation of faith. Written with personal and pastoral experience, Zahnd extends an invitation to move beyond the crisis of faith toward the journey of reconstruction.
-
-
How we got here and where we’re going
- By Doug on 04-23-25
By: Brian Zahnd
-
Lies We Believe About God
- By: Wm. Paul Young, C. Baxter Kruger - foreword
- Narrated by: Wm. Paul Young, C. Baxter Kruger - foreword
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wm. Paul Young has been called a heretic for the ways he vividly portrays God's love through his novels. Here he shares 33 commonly uttered and sometimes seemingly innocuous things we say about God. Paul exposes these as lies that keep us from having full, loving relationships with our creator.
-
-
Opened my eyes and my heart
- By claire on 04-04-17
By: Wm. Paul Young, and others
-
Revelation for the Rest of Us
- A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple
- By: Scot McKnight, Cody Matchett
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Revelation for the Rest of Us, world renowned New Testament scholar and author Scot McKnight explores the timeless message of Revelation and how it disciples readers into dissidents of the ways of the world and empire, calling them to the courageous challenge of faithful, or allegiant, witness.
-
-
Dud finish
- By Jon on 11-24-23
By: Scot McKnight, and others
-
Leaving and Finding Jesus
- By: Jason Clark
- Narrated by: Jason Clark
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on scripture, recent studies, shared stories, and his experiences as a pastor and relational theologian, Leaving and Finding Jesus encourages folks to trade a transactional view of God for something better: friendship.
-
-
Life Changing
- By Princess Warrior on 05-20-25
By: Jason Clark
-
The Universal Christ
- How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world.
-
-
Off the Reservation
- By Amazon Customer on 07-04-19
By: Richard Rohr
-
You Are Gods
- On Nature and Supernature
- By: David Bentley Hart
- Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In recent years, the theological—and, more specifically, Roman Catholic—question of the supernatural has made an astonishing return from seeming oblivion. David Bentley Hart's You Are Gods presents a series of meditations on the vexed theological question of the relation of nature and supernature. In its merely controversial aspect, the book is intended most directly as a rejection of a certain Thomistic construal of that relation, as well as an argument in favor of a model of nature and supernature at once more Eastern and patristic.
-
-
A Path for Hope in Faith
- By Vatoussis fam on 01-22-23
-
Into the Heart of Romans
- A Deep Dive into Paul's Greatest Letter
- By: N. T. Wright
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
N. T. Wright—widely regarded as the most influential commentator and interpreter of Paul—deftly unpacks this dense and sometimes elusive letter, detailing Paul's arguments and showing how it illuminates the Gospel from the promises to Abraham through the visions of Revelation. Wright takes a deep dive into Romans 8, showing how it illuminates so much else that God reveals in Scripture: God the Father, Christology, and the Spirit; Jesus' Messiahship, cross, resurrection, and ascension; salvation, redemption, and adoption; suffering and glory; holiness and hope.
-
-
Deep dive into Romans 8
- By Adam Shields on 11-27-23
By: N. T. Wright
-
The Sin of Certainty
- Why God Desires Our Trust More than Our "Correct" Beliefs
- By: Peter Enns
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With compelling and often humorous stories from his own life, Bible scholar Peter Enns offers a fresh look at how Christian life truly works, answering questions that cannot be addressed by the idealized traditional doctrine of "once for all delivered to the saints".
-
-
Title may mislead the actual content
- By Adam Shields on 05-26-16
By: Peter Enns
-
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering
- By: Timothy Keller
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering is the definitive Christian book on why bad things happen and how we should respond to them. The question of why there is pain and suffering in the world has confounded every generation; yet there has not been a major book from a Christian perspective exploring why they exist for many years.
-
-
A definite "must read" but with some caveats
- By Paul F. on 07-20-14
By: Timothy Keller
-
A Farewell to Mars
- An Evangelical Pastor's Journey toward the Biblical Gospel of Peace
- By: Brian Zahnd
- Narrated by: Dean Gallagher
- Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did violence and power seep into our understanding of faith and grace? For those troubled by this trend toward the sword, perhaps there is a better way. What if the message of Jesus differs radically from the drumbeats of war we hear all around us? Using his own journey from war crier to peacemaker and his in-depth study of peace in the Scriptures, author and pastor Brian Zahnd reintroduces us to the gospel of peace.
-
-
Following the Prince of Peace
- By Andrew Coon on 08-06-18
By: Brian Zahnd
-
How the Bible Actually Works
- In Which I Explain How An Ancient, Ambiguous, and Diverse Book Leads Us to Wisdom Rather Than Answers—and Why That’s Great News
- By: Peter Enns
- Narrated by: Peter Enns
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How the Bible Actually Works makes clear that there is no one right way to read or listen to the Bible. Moving us beyond the damaging idea that “being right” is the most important measure of faith, Enns’ freeing approach to Bible study helps us to instead focus on pursuing enlightenment and building our relationship with God - which is exactly what the Bible was designed to do.
-
-
The subtitle matters
- By Adam Shields on 03-08-19
By: Peter Enns
Powerful book on recovering from deconstruction
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wonderful journey
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The narrator was especially slow, I can listen to it on 1.7 times and have no trouble understanding.
Really important book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Humble, brilliant, beautiful and profound
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
That is why I gave this title a try. HOWEVER. I am slugging through the last chapters and honestly wish I had never bought this. The philosophy chapters summarizing Nietzche, Dofskoefsky, Simone Weil and others were interesting, but about 90% of this book seemed to me like disconnected fragments of various people's mental breakdowns. It even gets quite "woke" and whiny.
Also, he gives a trigger warning before certain sections, but this book is chock full of references to trauma, torture, cruelty towards children, and other horrible content that has not been good bed time material.
Maybe this book would serve someone in an active dark night of the soul, but to me it was unnecessarily HEAVY.
Trigger warning
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It's okay, not great
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.