“It is my hope that these writings”—author Sam Gould is referring to his new-in-’26 book, An Open Christianity, and he says this in his final sentence—“may undergird within you a faith that…opens a transcendent new world of wonder, life commitment, and excitement.” That it may do so is not unlikely.
In its 125 pages, Gould tells how a faith “based on the simple concept of love that challenges power and self-aggrandizement has been convoluted into today’s complex Christianity.” He goes on to picture his version as evolving from this “tenuous belief-dominated religion into a transcendent faith-based adventure.” His book may be the best yet to introduce concisely, and to champion, progressive Christianity.
Wipf & Stock, the publisher, has it that he “incorporates decades of scholarly study, thoughtful reflection, and complex theological ideas into a practical and readable no-nonsense volume unbound by doctrine, exaggerated claims, and institutional constraints.” This is not hyperbole.
As one early reader, a United Methodist cleric, observes, “Sam Gould is an exceptional lay theologian who is deeply concerned with an authentic and true faith that can be lived in the modern world, and is willing to share his deep concerns with others through his writing.”
An Open Christianity
By Sam Gould
Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2026