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Public Faith in Action: How to Engage with Commitment, Conviction, and Courage
Celebrated Theologian Offers Wisdom for Civic Engagement
Christian citizens have a responsibility to make political and ethical judgments in light of their faith and to participate in the public lives of their communities--from their local neighborhoods to the national scene. But it can be difficult to discern who to vote for, which policies to support, and how to respond to the social and cultural trends of our time.
This nonpartisan handbook offers Christians practical guidance for thinking through complicated public issues and faithfully following Jesus as citizens of their countries. The book focuses on enduring Christian commitments that should guide readers in their judgments and encourages legitimate debate among Christians over how to live out core values. The book also includes lists of resources for further reflection in each chapter and "room for debate" questions to consider.
Christian citizens have a responsibility to make political and ethical judgments in light of their faith and to participate in the public lives of their communities--from their local neighborhoods to the national scene. But it can be difficult to discern who to vote for, which policies to support, and how to respond to the social and cultural trends of our time.
This nonpartisan handbook offers Christians practical guidance for thinking through complicated public issues and faithfully following Jesus as citizens of their countries. The book focuses on enduring Christian commitments that should guide readers in their judgments and encourages legitimate debate among Christians over how to live out core values. The book also includes lists of resources for further reflection in each chapter and "room for debate" questions to consider.
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
41 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Miroslav Volf
70 books327 followersMiroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and the founding director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. “One of the most celebrated theologians of our time,” (Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury), Volf is a leading expert on religion and conflict. His recent books include Against the Tide: Love in a Time of Petty Dreams and Persisting Enmities, and Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation—winner of the 2002 Grawmeyer Award in Religion.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 9, 2016
Miroslav Volf has produced two excellent books so far this year. This book co-authored with his former student Ryan McAnnally-Linz, follows upon Volf's book Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World, in which it is argued that religion has much to offer the pursuit of flourishing in our world. It is also a direct follow-up to Volf's 2011 book A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good. Both are essential reading for those wondering about how people of faith might participate in the work of creating a more just and peaceful, yet pluralistic, world.
In "Public Faith in Action, the authors build on the call to pursue the common good within the context of a pluralistic world, to a conversation about how one might do this. It is a book about action. But before they get there, they define the word "public" in terms of that dimension of human life "that involves issues and institutions concerning the good of all, the common good" (p. x). It is that space where we live together, thus "public faith is faith concerned with responsible shaping of our common life and common world" (p. x).
The authors divide the book into three parts -- commitments, convictions, and character (virtues). In the course of reading the book one is engaged by the authors to consider how to be involved in public life in a way that recognizes our diversity, including religious diversity, but reflects our Christian commitment to follow Jesus.
Part one sets the foundation -- Christ is the Center and norm. Whatever we do in the public arena needs to be guided by Jesus and the way in which he comported himself and revealed God's kingdom to us. This is a book about God's kingdom and how it is unfolding in the world. We live out this mission in the Spirit, knowing that God's Spirit is not confined to the church. The goal of the Spirit is creation's flourishing. This occurs in three ways: "leading life well" (how we conduct ourselves), "life going well" (circumstances of life are good), "life feeling good" (experiencing joy at life in this world). To understand normative nature of Jesus, we need to read his life and ministry in its appropriate contexts -- the canonical one, and the contemporary one. We need to understand the context Jesus walked the earth and then our own, connecting the two.
With this foundation in place, we turn to part two, which is the longest portion of the book (seventeen chapters). In these chapters the authors explore how one engages actively the world -- in terms of wealth, the environment, education, work and rest, poverty, borrowing and lending, marriage and family, new life, health and sickness, aging, end of life, migration, policing, punishment, war, torture, and religious freedom. There is not much that's left uncovered, at least in terms of public life. These are insightful and challenging chapters. The authors seek to bring a balanced picture, noting where there are disagreements but also where there are distortions. Sometimes, as with torture, there really is very little room for disagreement. We might differ on what constitutes torture, but not on whether it is appropriate to engage in torture. Why? Remember our norm. There is in these chapters so many riches. In each chapter there are recommended readings to follow up.
Finally, in part three, titled "Character," the authors speak of five virtues that are essential to being engaged in public: courage, humility, justice, respect, and compassion. Each is essential. And each can be misunderstood and distorted, so we need to be clear on our definitions. For example, regarding respect -- there are two types of respect -- appraisal and recognition. It is the latter that is essential. We may not appraise some one being of value in terms of contribution, but recognize and thus respect their humanity.
This is another must read book, especially if you believe that it is incumbent upon us as Christians to contribute to the common good. If you've not read Public Faith yet, you might want to read it first, and then read this book carefully!
In "Public Faith in Action, the authors build on the call to pursue the common good within the context of a pluralistic world, to a conversation about how one might do this. It is a book about action. But before they get there, they define the word "public" in terms of that dimension of human life "that involves issues and institutions concerning the good of all, the common good" (p. x). It is that space where we live together, thus "public faith is faith concerned with responsible shaping of our common life and common world" (p. x).
The authors divide the book into three parts -- commitments, convictions, and character (virtues). In the course of reading the book one is engaged by the authors to consider how to be involved in public life in a way that recognizes our diversity, including religious diversity, but reflects our Christian commitment to follow Jesus.
Part one sets the foundation -- Christ is the Center and norm. Whatever we do in the public arena needs to be guided by Jesus and the way in which he comported himself and revealed God's kingdom to us. This is a book about God's kingdom and how it is unfolding in the world. We live out this mission in the Spirit, knowing that God's Spirit is not confined to the church. The goal of the Spirit is creation's flourishing. This occurs in three ways: "leading life well" (how we conduct ourselves), "life going well" (circumstances of life are good), "life feeling good" (experiencing joy at life in this world). To understand normative nature of Jesus, we need to read his life and ministry in its appropriate contexts -- the canonical one, and the contemporary one. We need to understand the context Jesus walked the earth and then our own, connecting the two.
With this foundation in place, we turn to part two, which is the longest portion of the book (seventeen chapters). In these chapters the authors explore how one engages actively the world -- in terms of wealth, the environment, education, work and rest, poverty, borrowing and lending, marriage and family, new life, health and sickness, aging, end of life, migration, policing, punishment, war, torture, and religious freedom. There is not much that's left uncovered, at least in terms of public life. These are insightful and challenging chapters. The authors seek to bring a balanced picture, noting where there are disagreements but also where there are distortions. Sometimes, as with torture, there really is very little room for disagreement. We might differ on what constitutes torture, but not on whether it is appropriate to engage in torture. Why? Remember our norm. There is in these chapters so many riches. In each chapter there are recommended readings to follow up.
Finally, in part three, titled "Character," the authors speak of five virtues that are essential to being engaged in public: courage, humility, justice, respect, and compassion. Each is essential. And each can be misunderstood and distorted, so we need to be clear on our definitions. For example, regarding respect -- there are two types of respect -- appraisal and recognition. It is the latter that is essential. We may not appraise some one being of value in terms of contribution, but recognize and thus respect their humanity.
This is another must read book, especially if you believe that it is incumbent upon us as Christians to contribute to the common good. If you've not read Public Faith yet, you might want to read it first, and then read this book carefully!
July 9, 2019
This book had a few really key insights that are worth catching, but it was boring and often would have me questioning the author's motives. I believe that this book spawned from a series of Facebook posts that eventually became a book. It shows in many ways. A lot of the topics are not thought out well. However, with soundbite thoughts, there are some very valuable thoughts scattered throughout the book.
November 6, 2024
I'll be passing this one on to others and hope for some discussion!
February 12, 2025
This book started as a Facebook post by Miroslav Volf that struck a nerve with Christians who are trying to know how to engage (or not) within the combustible political realm. How do Christians - as the subtitle states - think carefully, engage wisely, and vote with integrity. The topics covered in this book touch on most of the hottest topics in contemporary society - from abortion to immigration and from education to policing. The authors acknowledge that there is a broad spectrum of thought regarding these topics and they don't set out to champion an end-all/be-all conclusion but instead establishes foundations from which to discuss, acknowledges the areas for disagreement and discussion, and provides some great resources for further delving into the topics. The book encourages deep thought, listening to a broad spectrum of voices, and lead with the convictions of character, humility, justice, respect, and compassion.
October 31, 2016
A wide-ranging discussion of the author's viewpoints regarding various public policy issues and what he believes the Christian response should be.
The author seems at home in mainline Protestantism and his answers are shaped accordingly; one would expect some different answers from someone on the more conservative end of the spectrum. Such might call into question the entire enterprise; while the author does often grant "room for debate" in many of the issues, others would want to have that "debate" area a bit wider and to include some of the matters regarding which the author proves dogmatic. Thus, while it is certainly one professing Christian's view of where Christians should stand in terms of public policy, is it really something regarding which everyone can assent?
An interesting exploration based on the author's viewpoint. It will be likewise interesting to see how it ages.
The author seems at home in mainline Protestantism and his answers are shaped accordingly; one would expect some different answers from someone on the more conservative end of the spectrum. Such might call into question the entire enterprise; while the author does often grant "room for debate" in many of the issues, others would want to have that "debate" area a bit wider and to include some of the matters regarding which the author proves dogmatic. Thus, while it is certainly one professing Christian's view of where Christians should stand in terms of public policy, is it really something regarding which everyone can assent?
An interesting exploration based on the author's viewpoint. It will be likewise interesting to see how it ages.
July 28, 2017
I finished this book a long time ago but I've since used it as the resource for undergrad roundtables on theology in the public sphere. Volf and McAnnally-Linz begin with the why of a book on such a range of topics: because Christ came for humanity and the Christian faith is about the flourishing of all humans. This book offered my students an excellent overview of why theology matters in topics ranging from war to education to poverty and the environment. Each chapter is succinct but still covers the range of debate possible within a Christian frame. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on character (humility, compassion, justice, courage, and respect) at the end as they help guide our conversation and action.
May 5, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up. My only complaint isn’t even fair. The book is structured giving a brief survey to a number of topics, and I wanted each chapter to be a book! This book is great for personal reflection, but would also be wonderful to read together with a small group/discussion group. It’s amazing how much one small book tackled! I also loved that it included reading lists for additional study after each chapter.
July 20, 2020
Probably the best book I’ve ever read in the area of public politics and Christianity. A great framework laid out for engagement and super practical chapters on numerous topics including marriage, abortion, PAS, policing, etc
September 7, 2018
I usually enjoy and appreciate Volf (even if I don't always agree with him) but this was a disappointment. Not particularly helpful, convincing or insightful.
January 3, 2023
If you're a conservative evangelical -- Instead of this book, or at least alongside this one, read "Right thinking in a world gone wrong" ed MacArthur
July 26, 2016
“Christian faith has an inalienable public dimension.”
That’s the fundamental assumption underlying Public Faith in Action: How to Think Carefully, Engage Wisely, and Vote with Integrity, the new book from Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz.
Public Faith in Action began as a series of Facebook posts by Volf during the 2012 election cycle, and in many ways is a follow-up to his 2011 book, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, which I reviewed several years back.
In an election season as polarizing and emotionally-charged as this one, the fact that this “nonpartisan handbook” has endorsements from Christian thinkers and leaders as diverse as Karen Swallow Prior, Ron Sider, Stephanie Smith, and James K.A. Smith says something.
In the first part of the book, Volf and McAnnally-Linz articulate three core commitments that underpin the work, primary among which, for all Christians, is the centrality of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Next, they seek to apply Christian convictions to a range of fraught political issues that run the gamut from protection of the unborn to end-of-life issues, and, well, everything in between. The authors conclude by emphasizing it is not enough to have (or think we have) the right views on divisive issues; we must be concerned with becoming the right kinds of people as well – people whose character is marked by courage, humility, justice, respect, and compassion.
I commend Public Faith in Action first of all because for many of us, a wide-ranging inventory of our political convictions is long overdue. I mean, think about it: when was the last time you sat down and considered in a measured way why you believe what you do about economics, the environment, immigration, war, torture, the death penalty, and religious freedom? When was the last time you thought about how your views on all these issues, and so many more, fit together as a cohesive whole?
Before I go any further, let me say this: there will be parts of this book you won’t like. There will be conclusions you don’t agree with. But in my reading of it, even in the spots where I disagree with them, the authors never come across as glib or smug. They refuse to take potshots. That this is the case is a testament to the sincerity of their stated goal for the whole project: “not to end a conversation but to enrich it, not to achieve passive submission but to invite critical discussion.”
Much has been written about how for many of us, our social media feeds are echo chambers – and becoming more so all the time. For this we’ve got algorithms and ourselves to blame. So when all the news stories and friends’ posts we see serve to confirm our hunches and beliefs, our biases and fears, we lose sight of the fact that the sincerely-held views of many millions of our neighbors – and, quite possibly, crucial aspects of the truth – lie outside of our narrow feeds.
That’s why a book like Public Faith in Action will make a lot of us uncomfortable – and why it’s so important for our individual and collective civic life.
That’s the fundamental assumption underlying Public Faith in Action: How to Think Carefully, Engage Wisely, and Vote with Integrity, the new book from Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz.
Public Faith in Action began as a series of Facebook posts by Volf during the 2012 election cycle, and in many ways is a follow-up to his 2011 book, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, which I reviewed several years back.
In an election season as polarizing and emotionally-charged as this one, the fact that this “nonpartisan handbook” has endorsements from Christian thinkers and leaders as diverse as Karen Swallow Prior, Ron Sider, Stephanie Smith, and James K.A. Smith says something.
In the first part of the book, Volf and McAnnally-Linz articulate three core commitments that underpin the work, primary among which, for all Christians, is the centrality of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Next, they seek to apply Christian convictions to a range of fraught political issues that run the gamut from protection of the unborn to end-of-life issues, and, well, everything in between. The authors conclude by emphasizing it is not enough to have (or think we have) the right views on divisive issues; we must be concerned with becoming the right kinds of people as well – people whose character is marked by courage, humility, justice, respect, and compassion.
I commend Public Faith in Action first of all because for many of us, a wide-ranging inventory of our political convictions is long overdue. I mean, think about it: when was the last time you sat down and considered in a measured way why you believe what you do about economics, the environment, immigration, war, torture, the death penalty, and religious freedom? When was the last time you thought about how your views on all these issues, and so many more, fit together as a cohesive whole?
Before I go any further, let me say this: there will be parts of this book you won’t like. There will be conclusions you don’t agree with. But in my reading of it, even in the spots where I disagree with them, the authors never come across as glib or smug. They refuse to take potshots. That this is the case is a testament to the sincerity of their stated goal for the whole project: “not to end a conversation but to enrich it, not to achieve passive submission but to invite critical discussion.”
Much has been written about how for many of us, our social media feeds are echo chambers – and becoming more so all the time. For this we’ve got algorithms and ourselves to blame. So when all the news stories and friends’ posts we see serve to confirm our hunches and beliefs, our biases and fears, we lose sight of the fact that the sincerely-held views of many millions of our neighbors – and, quite possibly, crucial aspects of the truth – lie outside of our narrow feeds.
That’s why a book like Public Faith in Action will make a lot of us uncomfortable – and why it’s so important for our individual and collective civic life.
June 21, 2016
Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz cover a large amount of ground in this volume. Each chapter is quite concise but packed with relevant and thought-provoking insights.
The first three chapters discuss the Christian basis for engagement with public policy and civics. The authors discuss hermeneutical principles and basis for public engagement.
The bulk of the volume is found in the middle section in which seventeen contemporary public policy, social, and justice issues are discussed. It ranges from the meaning and distribution of wealth, the environment, to the issues concerning value of life, immigration, law enforcement, justification for war, and the meaning of freedom of religion (and irreligion). In each of these chapters the authors first present the issue. Next they give what they believe is a solid and sound, yet broad position that aligns with Christian ethos. This is often followed by some considerations, further clarifications and contextuatlizations. Finally the authors end each chapter with what they believe are areas open to debate among Christians. Each chapter also lists further reading and study resources.
The final part of the book discusses broad character traits that Christians ought to look for in public leadership. The authors discuss the common understandings of each and then what the Christian definitions of each ought to be. It is seen that the common understanding is often too narrow and deficient, but Christians often settle for this. The call for readers in these chapters is to broaden the definitions and seek out leaders who fill these broader definitions.
The authors are not American evangelical conservatives in the positions that they take. They are also not liberals. Progressive might fit, but even that isn't a strong fit. Nuanced may be the best description. Their objective is to get Christians of all types to begin dialog with one another, in spite of strong differences. I can see that happening with this book. Conservatives will certainly need to approach it with openness, but so will liberals and progressives. I think the most important attitude to have when coming to the table is setting aside black-and-white, dualistic thinking on each issue. The attitude needs to be that different beliefs and positions are possible and still remain faithful to the broad Christian ethos.
In a society that is increasingly partisan without room for compromise, both in the public and Christian spheres, open conversations such as the one envisioned here by Volf and McAnnally-Linz may be one of the few options forward through which we regain the ability to see as human those on opposite sides of the partisan divide.
(This review based on ARC supplied by the publisher through NetGalley.)
The first three chapters discuss the Christian basis for engagement with public policy and civics. The authors discuss hermeneutical principles and basis for public engagement.
The bulk of the volume is found in the middle section in which seventeen contemporary public policy, social, and justice issues are discussed. It ranges from the meaning and distribution of wealth, the environment, to the issues concerning value of life, immigration, law enforcement, justification for war, and the meaning of freedom of religion (and irreligion). In each of these chapters the authors first present the issue. Next they give what they believe is a solid and sound, yet broad position that aligns with Christian ethos. This is often followed by some considerations, further clarifications and contextuatlizations. Finally the authors end each chapter with what they believe are areas open to debate among Christians. Each chapter also lists further reading and study resources.
The final part of the book discusses broad character traits that Christians ought to look for in public leadership. The authors discuss the common understandings of each and then what the Christian definitions of each ought to be. It is seen that the common understanding is often too narrow and deficient, but Christians often settle for this. The call for readers in these chapters is to broaden the definitions and seek out leaders who fill these broader definitions.
The authors are not American evangelical conservatives in the positions that they take. They are also not liberals. Progressive might fit, but even that isn't a strong fit. Nuanced may be the best description. Their objective is to get Christians of all types to begin dialog with one another, in spite of strong differences. I can see that happening with this book. Conservatives will certainly need to approach it with openness, but so will liberals and progressives. I think the most important attitude to have when coming to the table is setting aside black-and-white, dualistic thinking on each issue. The attitude needs to be that different beliefs and positions are possible and still remain faithful to the broad Christian ethos.
In a society that is increasingly partisan without room for compromise, both in the public and Christian spheres, open conversations such as the one envisioned here by Volf and McAnnally-Linz may be one of the few options forward through which we regain the ability to see as human those on opposite sides of the partisan divide.
(This review based on ARC supplied by the publisher through NetGalley.)
August 12, 2016
This was a disappointment, especially after Volf's first "Public Faith" book, which was quite good. Some of the problem here may simply be that Volf and McAnnally-Linz bit off more than they could chew in a book of this size. Part 1 on "Commitments" was okay. The authors lay out some good foundations for Christian political engagement, but they don't go far enough. Considering where Part 2 goes I would have liked to see a thorough argument in Part 1 justifying the government involvement and use of state coercion assumed in most of the later chapters. Are Christians justified in endorsing the State's force to coerce others to act as Christians--or to act as Volf thinks Christians should act? As someone who embraces the Non-aggression Principle I would have liked to see Volf argue this point rather than simply assume it. Part 2 addresses political issues from wealth to education, the environment to migration, and policing to torture. The book falls flat at this point. In most cases the arguments for what constitute Christians positions on these issues are good ones, but they're simply too brief, even given the lists for further reading on each subject. One can't do justice to these issues in two or three pages. I was also disappointed that most of the suggested economic solutions were state-centred and typical of a Progressive agenda. Many the authors' statements on economics were naive, on the one hand calling for funding of massive and unsustainable government programmes while warning at the same time against debt and offloading the consequences onto to future generations. Part 3, which addresses "Character" is probably the book's best part as it focuses--with a chapter apiece--on the need for courage, humility, justice, respect, and compassion.
July 11, 2016
Have you ever imagined what people are faced with when we all turn off all media streams, gadgets, and social media news feeds? People are faced with situations where thinking carefully, engaging wisely with others, and voting with integrity in an era fraught with partisan polarity and name-calling. This is the importance of this book for Christians, for living with others is putting our faith into action. The strength of this book is the author provides Christians with a road map for being in harmony with others, who disagree.
A weakness I found in the book is that the author does not further develop worker justice issues, such as, "union busting", protesting, and an economy that is unwilling to bargain and negotiate with the workforce. I wanted the author to describe how to put this public faith into action. More than a few Christians see labor unions as evil. I don't think this and as a Christian, I would like have to read about this in this book.
Overall, this book was a clear presentation of Christian faith being aligned to "love neighbor". American Christianity needs to be more concerned with being a brother's keeper, rather than keeping self-isolated from others. A church-group of Christians that are insular are not really being Christian, but selfish. This is opposite to the words of Christ. And this is book is a call for Christians to act wisely, rather than rushing to judgment. Public faith in action is when Christians participate in realignment to Christ's ministry.
A weakness I found in the book is that the author does not further develop worker justice issues, such as, "union busting", protesting, and an economy that is unwilling to bargain and negotiate with the workforce. I wanted the author to describe how to put this public faith into action. More than a few Christians see labor unions as evil. I don't think this and as a Christian, I would like have to read about this in this book.
Overall, this book was a clear presentation of Christian faith being aligned to "love neighbor". American Christianity needs to be more concerned with being a brother's keeper, rather than keeping self-isolated from others. A church-group of Christians that are insular are not really being Christian, but selfish. This is opposite to the words of Christ. And this is book is a call for Christians to act wisely, rather than rushing to judgment. Public faith in action is when Christians participate in realignment to Christ's ministry.
October 15, 2016
Miroslav Volf is a theologian at the Yale Divinity School. This book is really a compilation of blog posts - which makes for an easy read. The book presupposes not only a familiarity with the Bible, but with an intimate one. Therefore, I think if you haven't studied the Bible the references he makes (which he assumes one to be familiar with) may not resonate. I guess what I'm saying is that you can't pick this up and expect to be spoon fed - you have to have a base of knowledge to begin with. Having said all that - if you have that "basic" understanding of the Bible then the book (like blog posts) is a rather short hand take on the issues facing Christians in public discourse. Each section provides an incredible reading list if you want more information on any topic. Thoughtful, Bible based and Christ centered advice and support for how to navigate in an increasingly fraught political realm.
June 26, 2016
This is the book I thought I was working on to right... and then Volf goes ahead and does it! :)
The major problem with this book is it is THOUGHTFUL. It asks us as believers to think carefully, and we just don't seem to have that willingness in our current political climate.
There are major things I disagree with Volf on, but that is the point. He allows for putting a tough topic in play and then having civil discussion. Again... that's our current failure as people of faith in our American culture.
This is a great tool if there is ever a time two or three people might sit down together to have some serious discussion on necessary topics. It is a horrible book for quoting on Facebook or Twitter because it will only invite rage and uninformed disagreement.
I am hopeful we can find a way to return to this type of discourse as people of faith.
The major problem with this book is it is THOUGHTFUL. It asks us as believers to think carefully, and we just don't seem to have that willingness in our current political climate.
There are major things I disagree with Volf on, but that is the point. He allows for putting a tough topic in play and then having civil discussion. Again... that's our current failure as people of faith in our American culture.
This is a great tool if there is ever a time two or three people might sit down together to have some serious discussion on necessary topics. It is a horrible book for quoting on Facebook or Twitter because it will only invite rage and uninformed disagreement.
I am hopeful we can find a way to return to this type of discourse as people of faith.
August 19, 2016
Well Articulated
I was most impressed by the breadth of topics addressed in this book. Many common themes of history as well as many contemporary issues. I especially resonated with the Christocentric underpinning and the focus upon a Christological interpretation of the bible in order to flesh out the ways followers of Jesus can think about major issues and act on those same issues. Worth reflecting on in our reactive, emotional and fearful current milieu.
I was most impressed by the breadth of topics addressed in this book. Many common themes of history as well as many contemporary issues. I especially resonated with the Christocentric underpinning and the focus upon a Christological interpretation of the bible in order to flesh out the ways followers of Jesus can think about major issues and act on those same issues. Worth reflecting on in our reactive, emotional and fearful current milieu.
July 18, 2016
I appreciate the general thesis and purpose of the book. However, the theologizing is somewhat weak as the authors overstate their case at points.
Volf isn't at his best here. He is at his best when he defends a historically orthodox Christian doctrine or practice using his vast array of imaginative resources.
Volf isn't at his best here. He is at his best when he defends a historically orthodox Christian doctrine or practice using his vast array of imaginative resources.
August 28, 2019
A great range of topics and a thoughtful Christian response to them. For an introductory understanding of the authors’ views on these cultural and spiritual issues this book is helpful. However, Volf’s book A Public Faith does a much more thorough job. This one feels like a collection of blog posts.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews