[Huntress]

I can definitely relate to that. I'm nominally a Baptist, but I really don't have a great deal of use for organized religion, either. It seems to me that just about every church hierarchy has an axe to grind about something, and is willing to interpret scripture to serve its agenda.

I would like to study Christianity more, but I run into similar problems when I look for books on the subject. Most authors have their own slants on the subject, so I find it difficult to find objective accounts of the history of Christianity or balanced interpretations of scripture.

[mercy]

I highly suggest everything written by C.S. Lewis. Absolutely revalatory.

Won't help much with the history of the faith but will give you an understanding into human psychology (actually human spirituality) like no other.

Read his very small book entitled "The Great Divorce". It changed my life.

[1stFreedom]

>>Most authors have their own slants on the subject, so I find it difficult to find objective accounts of the history of Christianity or balanced interpretations of scripture.

You will never escape this. All denominations (non denominational included) have the slant of their founder. You hear the Gospel through the filters of thier founders.

While much protestantism is in denial, in the Orthodox and Catholic church we fully admit that man has influenced the Church. The difference is that we believe that as a whole, the Holy Spirit guided the Church in separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the influence of man.

(The Church doesn't accept everything the saints have said.)