The Magnificent Story: Uncovering a Gospel of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth

"If Dostoevsky is right in making the observation that ‘beauty will save the world,’ then James Bryan Smith has provided us with an exquisite exposition of what this means and how beauty is revealed in the God story. And he does so without in any way downplaying the deep fragmentation of our world; to the contrary, Smith demonstrates that it is precisely against the backdrop of this deep pain that we see and know the beauty of God and thus the salvation of God."

Gordon T. Smith, president, Ambrose University, Calgary, Alberta, author of Called to Be Saints

"In The Magnificent Story, James Bryan Smith invites us out of the shrunken stories of a fear-based and formulaic gospel into a genuine encounter with the exquisite beauty of Christ. Smith points us to the practices of ‘soul training’ by which our lives can be formed in beauty, goodness, and truth. A most welcome and helpful book!"

Brian Zahnd, pastor of Word of Life Church, St. Joseph, Missouri, author of Beauty Will Save the World

"Currently, James Bryan Smith is the best author I know for blending essential spiritual insight with fruitful spiritual practices. In The Magnificent Story, Jim is characteristic: by giving us spiritual practices that help us abandon our shriveled life stories, he helps us to sync our lives up to the good, beautiful, and true story of God—and become human as God intended."

Todd Hunter, Anglican bishop, Churches for the Sake of Others

"The gospel is declared to be good news, but sometimes the way we hear about it sounds more like potentially good, technically good, or ‘someday’ good news—like a life insurance policy. The Magnificent Story helps us see and feel the goodness, beauty, and truth of that good news right here and right now. What a welcome kingdom gift to the people of God! I’m so grateful for this inspiring and energizing vision of the gospel."

Alan Fadling, president and founder of Unhurried Living, author of An Unhurried Leader

"Theologian Smith refreshingly interprets Christian faith by refuting two other versions of Christianity he finds inadequate: the ‘good works’ gospel taught in liberal churches, he says, fails to inspire; the ‘shaming gospel’ merely scares. In place of these two he offers his view that Christianity is a magnificent story that is beautiful, good, and true. . . . Patient seekers in quest of a powerful and loving God who stands in solidarity with suffering might also find it valuable."

Publishers Weekly, July 24, 2017

"The distinctive contribution of The Magnificent Story is its attentiveness to the power of stories to destroy us, diminish us, and deprive us, or to free us, redeem us, and empower us. Spiritual formation teachers have occasionally known the power of story, but none has it so central as James Bryan Smith. I consider The Magnificent Story to be a long leap into the deep graces of spiritual formation, not just for individuals but for small groups and churches."

ScotMcKnight, Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

"‘We are story-making people,’ James Bryan Smith writes. But what if the stories we tell and live are too small? What if the gospel story is truer, better, and more beautiful than we have ever imagined? As only a seasoned minister could, Smith asks and answers these questions with practicality and passion, theological lucidity and love. As he so importantly captures here in these pages, the story of Jesus doesn’t just prepare us for the moment of death, but for every breathing, pulsing minute of life."

Jen Pollock Michel, award-winning author of Teach Us to Want and Keeping Place

"‘We are story-making people,’ James Bryan Smith writes. But what if the stories we tell and live are too small? What if the gospel story is truer, better, and more beautiful than we have ever imagined? As only a seasoned minister could, Smith asks and answers these questions with practicality and passion, theological lucidity and love. As he so importantly captures in these pages, the story of Jesus doesn’t just prepare us for the moment of death, but for every breathing, pulsing minute of life."

Jen Pollock Michel, author of Teach Us to Want and Keeping Place

"Our current obsession with entertainment indicates, I believe, that we are starved for beauty. We long to be truly astounded. James Smith leads us in immersing ourselves in beauty that is drenched in goodness and truth, bringing abundant life."

Jan Johnson, author of Meeting God in Scripture and Abundant Simplicity