The Irrational Jesus: Leading the Fully Human Church

by Ken Evers-Hood, L. Gregory Jones (Foreword by)

Overview

Behavioral science books are popping up on bestseller lists: Predictably Irrational; Thinking, Fast and Slow; Nudge; Decisive. Even the White House launched a Behavioral Insights Team to match the British Ministry of Nudges. Conspicuously absent from this conversation is the church. The Irrational Jesus bridges this gap. Ken Evers-Hood looks at Jesus through the lens of cognitive heuristics (mental shortcuts) and biases (blind spots) and makes the case that a fully human Jesus is predictably irrational--just like all of us. Find out how the Apostle Paul's community building mirrors a prisoner's dilemma game and how this makes Paul an irrational leader, too. Discover how playing better games in church can foster hopeful, flourishing communities. Improve your decision-making; learn when to plan for irrationality and when to live into it. The Irrational Jesus addresses these issues and more. Integrating the insights of behavioral economists such as Dan Ariely, the gameful thinking of Jane McGonigal, and cutting-edge ideas from decision theory, Evers-Hood articulates a behavioral theology for fully human pastors of fully human congregations--a fresh perspective that will change how pastors and other church leaders see themselves, the institutions they serve, and the scriptural and theological tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498220491
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	11/10/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

The Reverend Dr. Ken Evers-Hood graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. Ken pastors Tualatin Presbyterian Church, a creative, flourishing community near Portland, Oregon. When Ken isn't pastoring TPC, he can be found on a soccer field with his wife, Melissa, watching one of their three kids, or on a trail somewhere in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Table of Contents

Foreword L. Gregory Jones ix

Acknowledgments xiii

About This Book xv

Section 1 The Irrational Jesus

1 We Can Be Taught! 3

2 "Irrationally Yours" 8

3 We're of Two Minds: Two Systems, Elephant Riders, and Esau and Jacob 15

4 Cognitive Heuristics: Sometimes the Shortcut Isn't the Fastest Way 21

5 Cognitive Biases: Our Blind Spots 30

6 The Irrational Jesus Lives 41

7 The Irrational Jesus Dies … and Lives Again 51

8 But Isn't Bias Just Sin? 59

9 Practical Docetism, Theologicons, and Fully Human Leaders 69

10 Let's Get Real 73

11 Ten Behavioral Concepts, Heuristics, and Biases to Know 79

Interlude: The Congregation with Two Brains 81

Section 2 The Irrational Paul

12 Let the Games Begin! 89

13 Getting to Know Game Theory 91

14 Playing Games and Telling Stories: Coordination Games 99

15 Playing Games and Telling Stories: Social Dilemma Games 108

16 John Nash's Beautiful (but Wrong) Mind 113

17 The Surprise of Tit for Tat 120

18 The Irrational Paul 127

19 SuperCooperators and Reciprocity Styles 133

20 Putting the Fun Back into Game Theory 142

21 Les Jongleurs de Dieu 151

22 Let's Get Real (Again) 157

23 Ten Game Ideas and Concepts to Remember 162

Interlude: Isaiah, Community, and the Prisoner's Dilemma 165

Section 3 The Irrational Leader

24 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! 175

25 Discernment vs. Decision-Making 178

26 Decision Outcome vs. Decision Quality 182

27 Decision Quality-and the Decision Quality Chain 186

28 The Modified Behavioral Chain 195

29 Making Decisions about Decisions 200

30 When a Tornado Can Help 206

31 Choice Architecture: When We Choose Not to Choose 211

32 Evidence-Based Ministry 218

33 Getting Real Part Three… Really Real 228

34 Ten Facets of Decision-Making to Know 234

Postlude: Flame, Shame, and Grace 237

35 Benediction: Go Forth and Be Irrational! 242

Bibliography 245

Index 253