Using theological consideration, storytelling and travel writing, Thoughtful Christianity: Faith and Action in the Way of Jesus explores how an intellectually-engaged faith might inform a Christian’s response to a variety of the world’s most pressing issues.

Ben Daniel, pastor of Montclair Presbyterian Church, examines the extreme polarization of Christianity in the last century and argues that American Christians are in need of an awakening of the mind. “Thoughtful Christianity has become drowsy of late, and as a result, the religious landscape increasingly is dominated by forms of Christianity that shun intellectual endeavors, are skeptical of science, or lack a distinctively Christian voice because they ignore the history and the traditions that for centuries have shaped the Christian faith,” Daniel says.

Thoughtful Christianity suggests a way of life that includes commitment to education, high value placed on curiosity, and instruction from “those with the courage to be corrected.” With an appreciation for the open-minded faith, Daniel shows us how we can move forward, unbound by labels, to know and serve God better.

Ben Daniel is pastor of Montclair Presbyterian Church in Oakland, California. He is a regular blogger for the Huffington Post and provides commentary for KQED FM, the largest NPR affiliate in the United States. He is the author of The Search for Truth about Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction and Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration, named Religion Book of the Year by ForeWord Reviews.

Thoughtful Christianity is available for purchase through Westminster John Knox Press and other major retailers.