"Here Are Your Gods"

Faithful Discipleship in Idolatrous Times

By: Christopher J.H. Wright

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

When the Israelites exclaimed, "Here are your gods!" at the sight of the golden calf, they were attempting to hold on to the God of their history while fashioning idols for their own purposes. In today's Western world, plenty of shiny false gods still hold power - idols of prosperity, nationalism, and self-interest. Christians desperately need to name and expose these idols. We must retrieve the biblical emphasis on idolatry and apply it anew in our journey of following Jesus.

In "Here Are Your Gods", Old Testament scholar Christopher J. H. Wright combines a biblical study of idolatry with practical discipleship. He calls listeners to consider connections between Old Testament patterns and today's culture, especially recurring temptations to trust in political power. Now as much as ever, we need a biblically informed understanding of the many ways humans make gods for themselves, the danger of idols, and how God calls us to join him in the battle against idolatry as part of his ongoing mission to be known and worshiped by all peoples.

©2020 Christpher J. H. Wright (P)2021 eChristian

Passionate and faithful

While I’m sure some will read this book and conclude that it sympathizes with “the left” (ie. more liberal/socialist), it is more accurately challenging how Christianity has broadly aligned itself with “the right.”
Regardless of which political side the Christian finds themselves, the question prompted by this book is have they done so idolatrously.
I found it to be insightful and Biblically centered. Definitely challenging to the status quo of the evangelical circles that I know.

Amazing scriptural insights connecting hisorty to current world events

I am a simple person with no high education. I struggle to sit and finish books that sound interesting. (I’m much more a doer and not a a bookworm.) But…after hearing a Regent College 2021 podcast interviewing C. Wright regarding this book, it tantalized me enough to purchase the book. It was hard though to jump into it and concentrate long enough to stay sitting. After many attempts doing that, my husband discovered that there was an audio version of this book. Knowing that working and listening at the same time works better for me, we purchased the audiobook and I listened to the whole book within 2 days!
Listening to the book was a ton easier to follow than just reading myself. The narrator did an excellent job! I was able follow the flow of the book very easy despite some words that were above my normal vocabulary! The insights taken out of the OT regarding idols and then giving them updated ‘names’ that are much more recognizable in our cultures, was extremely eye-opening! It was shocking to start recognize the idols surrounding me. Also regarding the current world events, the world leaders and comparing these to God’s original values and plan for leadership was excellent! I continue to re-listen to it and hear things that I didn’t before. EXCELLENT book!!

Timely Wisdom

This book is a beautiful biblical critique on our current situation in the west amid the rise of nationalism and other false gods.

combined truth and error

I appreciate Christopher Wright clear desire to encourage Christians to be molded by God and biblical truth rather than nationalism, consumerism etc. However, his economic conclusions and apparent endorsement of policies of the Labour Party in England and the Democratic Party in the US seems contrary to fact and a bit arrogant. I do believe both Brexit and Trump are "symptoms " of idolatry and failure of the body of Christ for decades and in fact centuries to live out the scripture, but the gross failings economic policies of the left the US has help create the very economic disparities, single mother households and race bating that is certainly taken in place now I n the US. I too am disgusted with where we as Christians have permitted our society to drift by becoming part of it rather than lights in it, but I do not see globalism, redistribution as biblical. That certainly appears to be the underlying tenor of his conclusions.