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The Secular Squeeze: Reclaiming Christian Depth in a Shallow World
The real problem with secularism? It's boring. Christians have for decades lamented the secularism of the modern world. Often secularization is seen as a fierce, malevolent force out to devour everything in its path. But John Alexander suggests the real danger of secularism is that it is empty and shallow: it has squeezed the world flat. Modern secular culture has produced people who see themselves as little more than highly evolved machines. They live ina world with no heroes, only celebrities, and with no causes more grand than acquiring a nice house. The only adequate response to secularism's emptiness, Alexander argues, is a remnant church that actually lives by the truth of Jesus' story, a gospel that offers people something truly worth living and dying for. 'The Secular Squeeze' couples trenchant cultural analysis with stirring, constructive insight into how Christians can disavow the false myths of secularism and take up a cross with nails.
307 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 25, 2018
It's an interesting exercise to read a book of cultural criticism that is now 25 years old. I'm not sure that this book was ever that popular when it was released in 1993, but it had some very good points about the emptiness of modernism (a worldview that was already on the decline at the time) and the response of Christians by telling the story of Jesus and living radically in discipleship.
But, and I apologize for making this a common criticism of far too many books...there are parts of this book that are so poorly written to be almost unreadable. Where on earth was his editor? Much of this book comes across as whiney and hopeless in its lack of expectation that people can live better than they do. Then there's the problem of style. There are times in which his stream-of-consciousness style that might be fine for an article (or a review) leads one to wonder what on earth he is talking about. He might repeat images or examples endlessly, but to what end? Finally, much of the cultural reference that was popular at that moment do not hold meaning for people today (perhaps that's intentional...how long can something meaningless last?), so it's not relevant for many for that and because post-modernism (alluded to in principle, if not in name) seems to now be the dominant mindset.
Some good stuff here, but I won't try to read it again.
But, and I apologize for making this a common criticism of far too many books...there are parts of this book that are so poorly written to be almost unreadable. Where on earth was his editor? Much of this book comes across as whiney and hopeless in its lack of expectation that people can live better than they do. Then there's the problem of style. There are times in which his stream-of-consciousness style that might be fine for an article (or a review) leads one to wonder what on earth he is talking about. He might repeat images or examples endlessly, but to what end? Finally, much of the cultural reference that was popular at that moment do not hold meaning for people today (perhaps that's intentional...how long can something meaningless last?), so it's not relevant for many for that and because post-modernism (alluded to in principle, if not in name) seems to now be the dominant mindset.
Some good stuff here, but I won't try to read it again.
July 23, 2010
Alexander argues that the secularism defining modern life- whether scientific rationalism or romanticism, is hollow, and that the answer must be a church that truly lives out the story of redemption. He tells the story of modern thought creatively (some might be annoyed by his story-telling techniques, but I appreciated the fresh vision of older ideas in new settings) and is full of pithy statements and startingly challenging sentences and ideas. He ranges widely, but his central focus is on the emptiness of the world we live in and the necessity of the people of God to fully embody the story of the gospel in their corporate lives (and try to be at least a church that gets things right 75% of the time). It is a sobering and harrowing ride - but one that promises joy in the story Christian's share.
"How many marriages do you know that are things of joy? (I suggest that lack of joy is a good definition of emptiness.) But what's even emptier is the way we accept joyless marriages. We spend more time watching television than we do trying to learn how to enjoy one another."
"Modern education is informational, not formational or transformational. That's because modern culture is informational. So teachers spend little time on beauty, truth or goodness. How could they? They're too busy teaching the names of state capitals."
"Ask yourself how you feel about holiness and righteousness. Are they in fact major goals for you? Have you ever even thought about them? Isn't the whole idea of holiness a little embarrassing?" ... I don't mean that there's some kind of conspiracy to keep us from pursuing holiness or wisdom. It's just that our culture has given us lenses through which we can't see such things. One-dimensional people see only in their dimension; so spirituality, the great questions, goodness - all become invisible. Automatically."
"Our world is going to hell, in every sense of the word, and the reason is not finally some complicated history about the rise of science or the reaction of romanticism; the reason is that Christians don't go to the cross for each other." "So this book is a call to churches to repent. A call to Christians to become people who as an everyday fact of life break down walls between each other. Until then secularism, or some other evil, will reign triumphant. The only thing that can change that is your and my repenting and learning to love each other."
"But I am saying that Jesus described a wonder [in his discussion of the church in John:]. A wonder where we live lives of deep unity and self-sacrifice. We, however, aren't overflowing with unity and love in that way - in a way that makes the world wonder. Jesus was talking about a quality of life so abundant that the world would believe. And whatever our strengths may be, our life is not that abundant, not abundant enough to make the world feel wonder."
"But to do that, all other priorities have to go. The focus we put on our jobs has to go (they're of no importance, because our only vocation is to become the church). Any commitment to where we live has to go (we might have to move in order to find a church with a reasonable number of other disciples). The centrality we give to our families has to go (they will only flourish when they've found their proper place as second to the Servant King). Any priority we give to intellectual interests has to go (they're of no importance except as they serve local churches). Our love of comfort, security and entertainment has to go.
Because becoming the church of Jesus Christ is all."
"How many marriages do you know that are things of joy? (I suggest that lack of joy is a good definition of emptiness.) But what's even emptier is the way we accept joyless marriages. We spend more time watching television than we do trying to learn how to enjoy one another."
"Modern education is informational, not formational or transformational. That's because modern culture is informational. So teachers spend little time on beauty, truth or goodness. How could they? They're too busy teaching the names of state capitals."
"Ask yourself how you feel about holiness and righteousness. Are they in fact major goals for you? Have you ever even thought about them? Isn't the whole idea of holiness a little embarrassing?" ... I don't mean that there's some kind of conspiracy to keep us from pursuing holiness or wisdom. It's just that our culture has given us lenses through which we can't see such things. One-dimensional people see only in their dimension; so spirituality, the great questions, goodness - all become invisible. Automatically."
"Our world is going to hell, in every sense of the word, and the reason is not finally some complicated history about the rise of science or the reaction of romanticism; the reason is that Christians don't go to the cross for each other." "So this book is a call to churches to repent. A call to Christians to become people who as an everyday fact of life break down walls between each other. Until then secularism, or some other evil, will reign triumphant. The only thing that can change that is your and my repenting and learning to love each other."
"But I am saying that Jesus described a wonder [in his discussion of the church in John:]. A wonder where we live lives of deep unity and self-sacrifice. We, however, aren't overflowing with unity and love in that way - in a way that makes the world wonder. Jesus was talking about a quality of life so abundant that the world would believe. And whatever our strengths may be, our life is not that abundant, not abundant enough to make the world feel wonder."
"But to do that, all other priorities have to go. The focus we put on our jobs has to go (they're of no importance, because our only vocation is to become the church). Any commitment to where we live has to go (we might have to move in order to find a church with a reasonable number of other disciples). The centrality we give to our families has to go (they will only flourish when they've found their proper place as second to the Servant King). Any priority we give to intellectual interests has to go (they're of no importance except as they serve local churches). Our love of comfort, security and entertainment has to go.
Because becoming the church of Jesus Christ is all."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews