Thoughtful Christians often find themselves confused by mixed signals. A church or organization or any structure that involves a group of people may say they believe one thing but, in practice, they reveal something rather different. It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially if you value mission or doctrinal statements. The problem occurs when you fail to evaluate your actions through the grid of your stated beliefs or priorities.
I just recently reread parts of Tim Keller’s The Reason for God. If you haven’t read it yet, I urge you to do so. I think it may be the most important evangelistic work to come along since C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. In fact, Keller has said in a few interviews, that his hope was that this book could serve as a Mere Christianity for the twenty-first century. I think it certainly could. The book showcases Keller’s gift for addressing believers and non-believers in equally meaningful and engaging ways.
Here is a third installment in my discussion of Robert Putnam and David Campbell’s American Grace. The first two blogs in this series were posted on August 8th and 22nd. This book, based on a remarkably extensive study of Americans’ views about religion, deserves careful consideration by Christians concerned with spreading the gospel in a polarized and pluralistic world such as ours.