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Review Summary: good news gone bad |
Date: 2008-01-09 |
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Details: In his book The Heart of Christianity (2003) Marcus Borg of Oregon State University describes how his university students have a uniformly negative image of Christianity. "When I ask them to write a short essay on their impression of Christianity," says Borg, "they consistently use five adjectives: Christians are literalistic, anti-intellectual, self-righteous, judgmental, and bigoted."
Christians might object, rather defensively, that it's unfair to draw sweeping conclusions based upon the report of one person. If you think that way, you'd be right in your logic but wrong in your conclusion. A new book called unChristian (2007) by David Kinnaman of the Barna Group presents objective research that supports Borg's subjective anecdote. Kinnaman's three-year study documents how an overwhelming percentage of sixteen to twenty-nine year olds view Christians with hostility, resentment and disdain.
These broadly and deeply negative views of Christians aren't just superficial stereotypes with no basis in reality, says Kinnaman. Nor are the critics people who've had no contact with churches or Christians. It would be a tragic mistake, he argues, for believers to protest that outsider outrage at Christians is a misperception. Rather, it's based upon their real experiences with today's Christians. In addition to their statistical research, the book includes anecdotes from people who were interviewed, follow-on comments at the end of each chapter by some 30 Christian leaders, and reflections about why we've come to such a place and how we might make it better.
According to Kinnaman's Barna study, here are the percentages of people outside the church who think that the following words describe present-day Christianity:
* antihomosexual 91%
* judgmental 87%
* hypocritical 85%
* old-fashioned 78%
* too political 75%
* out of touch with reality 72%
* insensitive to others 70%
* boring 68%
It would be hard to overestimate, says Kinnaman, "how firmly people reject-- and feel rejected by-- Christians" (19). Or think about it this way, he suggests: "When you introduce yourself as a Christian to a friend, neighbor, or business associate who is an outsider, you might as well have it tattooed on your arm: antihomosexual, gay-hater, homophobic. I doubt you think of yourself in these terms, but that's what outsiders think of you" (93).
Gabe Lyons of the Fermi Project who commissioned the Barna research remembers his first look at the data. "I'll never forget sitting in Starbucks, poring through the research results on my laptop. As I soaked it in, I glanced at the people around me and was overwhelmed with the thought that this is what they think of me. It was a sobering thought to know that if I had stood up and announced myself as a 'Christian' to the customers assembled in Starbucks that day, they would have associated me with every one of the negative perceptions described in this book" (222, his italics). Sad to say, Marcus Borg was even more right than he knew. |
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Review Summary: Worth your time. |
Date: 2007-10-07 |
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Details: One thing that's always been a little challenging for me is when christians are portrayed poorly on tv and film. I love it when it's funny (think Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents). But, when it's just harsh and cynical, it kind of bugs me because it doesn't seem to accurately reflect the genuine people I know who are investing their lives following Jesus.
That said though, there are some equally genuine people, who I love dearly and are not christians, who really do have some harsh and cynical views of us. And, I've been thinking lately that it might be a good idea for all of us christians to take some time and consider what they're perceiving. Who knows? We might just learn something important.
If you want to get an objective read on what people think about christians and why it matters, please go get David Kinnaman's new book and give it a read. David Kinnaman is someone I trust deeply. His work is always well researched, well written, fair and honest.
I think any thoughtful person would appreciate what he has to say.
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Review Summary: The 'C' Bomb |
Date: 2007-10-10 |
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Details: The C Bomb
By Bill Dahl
I was reading a blog recently and appreciated the author's heartfelt apology about his inadvertent "church sucks" post. Trust me, we have all said and written stuff that we regret. It's when we overlook the fact that we are all fallible (or we assume we are bulletproof), we're really in trouble. I shared with the author that I was delighted to note that he is human, and a sensitive and lovable one at that. I welcomed him to the foot in mouth club - we're ALL members. (many of us have multiple memberships).
Yet, his apology for the "church sucks" post ( "confession and repentance") illuminated other issues for me (and I assume, many others). We have the A-bomb, the F-bomb, and whether we like it or not, we now have the "C-bomb." The term "C-bomb" refers to Christians, Christianity and the Church. This is NOT my opinion. It is an empirically verifiable fact, as evidenced by the research conducted over the past several years by the Barna Group. I have also written extensively about my own personal struggle with the C-bomb. You can find some of my more cogent thoughts here: The Next Questians - [...]
This research is laid out in David Kinnaman's newly released book (October 2007) entitled, UNchristian - What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity. Kinnaman has been George Barna's protégé over the last 12 years and is President of the Barna Group, unequivocally the ongoing source of reliable social research about Christians, Christianity and the Church.
This book is sobering. I wept at certain parts of it. We Christians have made a mess of Christianity in North America and the established Church most certainly has its share of the blame. As Kinnaman says, "We can't change what we are known for unless we change how we live." (p. 231). This "living" includes the "life" of the Church. Kinnaman goes on to say that we must "discern how deep and serious the problems are, so that our missional engagement in the coming years won't be more of the same."
We have to embrace the uncomfortable truth that the Church as an institution provides much of the momentum to preserve the status quo --- more of the same. Although the natural reaction to those who presently have a vested interest in the Church to "church sucks" is likely to be a defensive and perhaps polarizing one, I wonder if the reaction does not also contain an element of denial...a terribly important element that we must ALL come together to overcome.
Listen to Kinnaman and the Barna Group:
"The nation's population is increasingly resistant to Christianity...the aversion and hostility are, for the first time, crystallizing in the attitudes of millions of young Americans. A huge chunk of a new generation has concluded they want nothing to do with us. As Christians, we are widely distrusted by a skeptical generation. We are at a turning point for Christianity in America. If we do not wake up to these realities and respond in appropriate, godly ways, we risk being increasingly marginalized and losing further credibility with millions of people." P. 39.
The reality is the C-bomb is not being stored in some underground bunker. The C-bomb has detonated in our midst! What shall we do? Walk around in stunned silence? Continue to deny that we are the walking wounded as others avoid us? Are we going to pick up the pieces and rebuild a remnant of the memory of more of the same? something that doesn't produce the results that bring glory to our Lord and Savior by focusing on more of the same or will be become capable of coming together in a new revolution of hope:
"A revolution of hope is not just a matter of reading a book or hearing an inspiring sermon. True, a book or sermon or personal encounter may be a vehicle through which hope wins our hearts. But a revolution of hope makes radical demands of us. It requires us to learn new skills and habits and capacities: the skills of a new way of thinking, the capacities of a new way of living....it is a new way of life that changes everything." - Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change - Jesus, Global Crises and a Revolution of Hope. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN Copyright © 2007 by Brian D. McLaren. P. 283.
I want to learn a new way of living that changes everything. I am not coming `armed' to life anymore. I'm coming surrendered. The C-Bomb has detonated. The devastation is all around us. Yet, for those of us with a love of Jesus, and a thirst for imagining the future, and our respective roles in it, my prayer is that God's Spirit will provide each of us with eyes to see and ears to hear a "new thing" that He is doing in our midst. Kinnaman's book also has dozens of suggestions about what that might look like.
I believe the blog authors apology contained the essence of the attitude I need to maintain today, as we approach the Christian life --- come surrendered Bill, come humble, be prepared to learn and unlearn. Come to listen. Come to pray. Come to celebrate Christ alive among us. Come to be inspired by God's Spirit.
Humility. It's a powerful thing. Unchristian - What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons is a literary seismic event that will rearrange the face of faith.
Buy this book. Read it on your knees. Stay knelt until you are able to rise surrendered to what you thought you knew about being a Christian.
One of my Top 10 for 2007.
Bill Dahl
http://www.ThePorpoiseDivingLife.com
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Review Summary: Evangelical Leaders Must Read This |
Date: 2008-05-21 |
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Details: If the research presented in this book is anywhere close to accurate then evangelical leaders must, absolutely must, take a long, hard look in the mirror. If we had set out to look as bad as possible in the eyes of our non-believing neighbors, I don't know that we could have achieved a favorability rating of 3%. 97 out of 100 of our neighbors between the ages of 16 and 29 believe that we're either harmless or harmful.
It is clear to me that there are serious, serious flaws in the way we've been "doing ministry." The fruit of our efforts -- usually heartfelt, passionate, and often well-resourced -- is that of the 85% of our young neighbors who know someone who claims to follow Christ, 85% of them see no difference at all in the way their Christian friends live.
This not a perfect book; if I could give 4 1/2 stars I would on account of the research methodology. I have concerns about the ways Barna and his organization delineate evangelicals and born-agains, and though I'm not a sociologist I know enough about survey research to believe that better metrics could be created than the already very good ones currently on offer.
So there is ample fodder for quibbling if anybody wants to do that. But to indulge in such sniping around the edges would be to avoid dealing with the very hard facts presented in this book.
Read it, and weep. And then pray and fast and study and work to figure out what 21st century evangelicalism ought to look like. As good as the 20th century version may look to some of us...well, it's not about us, is it? |
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Review Summary: WOW!!! It's About Time!!!! |
Date: 2007-10-21 |
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Details: This book is what I have felt needed to be said for so long. Wow! Some one was finally able to find a publisher to do it!! Praise God!!!
There is a tremendous lack of love in the Church and what sums up everything in the Bible? Love. "Love does no harm to anyone so love fulfills all of God's requirements."Romans 13:10. If we do all these things and have not love it profits us nothing. Why do you think this book had to be written? Because a lack of love in the Church, plain and simple. Read this book and change, have a genuine change in the Church!!!
God bless these people and their book!!!! |
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out of 79 Reviews
