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Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference
Bestselling author Timothy Keller and legal scholar John Inazu bring together a thrilling range of artists, thinkers, and leaders to provide a guide to faithful living in a pluralistic, fractured world.
How can Christians today interact with those around them in a way that shows respect to those whose beliefs are radically different but that also remains faithful to the gospel? Timothy Keller and John Inazu bring together illuminating stories--their own and from others--to answer this vital question. Uncommon Ground gathers an array of perspectives from people thinking deeply and working daily to live with humility, patience, and tolerance in our time.
Contributors include:
Lecrae
Tish Harrison Warren
Kristen Deede Johnson
Claude Richard Alexander
Shirley Hoogstra
Sara Groves
Rudy Carrasco
Trillia Newbell
Tom Lin
Warren Kinghorn
Providing varied and enlightening approaches to reaching faithfully across deep and often painful differences, Uncommon Ground shows us how live with confidence, joy, and hope in a complex and fragmented age.
How can Christians today interact with those around them in a way that shows respect to those whose beliefs are radically different but that also remains faithful to the gospel? Timothy Keller and John Inazu bring together illuminating stories--their own and from others--to answer this vital question. Uncommon Ground gathers an array of perspectives from people thinking deeply and working daily to live with humility, patience, and tolerance in our time.
Contributors include:
Lecrae
Tish Harrison Warren
Kristen Deede Johnson
Claude Richard Alexander
Shirley Hoogstra
Sara Groves
Rudy Carrasco
Trillia Newbell
Tom Lin
Warren Kinghorn
Providing varied and enlightening approaches to reaching faithfully across deep and often painful differences, Uncommon Ground shows us how live with confidence, joy, and hope in a complex and fragmented age.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2020
514 people are currently reading
6397 people want to read
About the author
Timothy J. Keller
396 books5,747 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
February 3, 2023
A very conflicted 3.5 stars. The premise of this book caught my attention and, paired with Tim Keller’s name, I was sure this would be a perfect fit. We all interact with people with different beliefs than ourselves and it’s clear that most people aren’t doing an awesome job of it-- thank you social media. I am the first to raise my hand that I needed a book with this title. I am still processing what I read, but overall I was pretty disappointed with the execution of this topic.
This book is a compilation of essays written by 10 different people based on their own experience in our conflicted culture. There were a lot of true and good things advised- like interacting with humility, tolerance, and patience- but it all felt so vague and abstract. Maybe the specifics of what I’m looking for is unrealistic to expect to fit into a book and would make for better in-person discussion. I guess I still need to wrestle with that.
I just didn’t feel like they really gave me any concrete examples to follow. Yet they all came across as if they had an idea in their mind of what they wanted everyone to do or say, but no one was willing to just say it bluntly. They were all beating around the bush of really portraying: this is right and this is wrong. Act like this, not like this. Say this, not that. Because honestly, I think we all already know we’re supposed to be humble, patient, and tolerant, but I think we’re all walking around with our own definitions and ideas about what each of those look like. We all think we’re doing them but we’re probably not.
I also feel like there was this negative generalization of white evangelicals by most of the contributors (and really people everywhere) that I’m exasperated of. It’s this idea that all white evangelicals, because of their privilege, somehow have an incomplete or illegitimate faith, living in some la-la land, unable to see or understand hard reality and that, though it’s not necessarily our fault, we are these immature and unenlightened Christians whose opinions and faiths don’t really matter because we haven’t personally seen, experienced, or struggled with racism or oppression of some kind. We are a group ‘to be reached with the truth.’ How am I to respond when I happen to be white and I’ve chosen the beliefs of evangelical Christianity? How does that automatically make ‘my gospel’ ‘white and wrong’ when we’re reading the same Bible?
Additionally, there’s this vibe that if we’re not out advocating for social justice every day then we are part of the problem, not the solution. And I realize these are extreme and exaggerated statements to make, but I read and hear it time and time again with no clear ‘solution.’ Books like this aren’t giving any other sort of practical and realistic suggestions of how this actually would look like for a normal US citizen. And I’m just at a loss.
You can’t just say the church and white evangelicals are getting it wrong and then provide vague directives like ‘be humble, patient, and tolerant,’ ‘listen more than speak,’ ‘choose our words carefully,’ ‘be willing to take action,’ ‘have a posture of embrace rather than fear,’ and ‘don’t overidentify with a political group.’ These are not new concepts. We all think we’re doing these. Give us examples of what this does or doesn’t look like for the average person. How do conversations actually look? What particular action steps make sense for my life as a stay-at-home mom in a mostly white suburb with not a lot of people I interact with on a regular basis?
All of these contributors have significant areas of influence- professors, pastors, book-writers, song-writers, doctors, etc. It’s great what they are doing and the influence they are able to have to bring about change, but we don’t all have the ability, capacity, or opportunity to have our lives look like that. I just want a book on this topic that is more accessible and answers questions rather than avoids them.
It’s probably clear by now that I was disappointed, and I didn’t agree with everything that was written, BUT I don’t condemn this book by any means. I think it’s probably worth everyone reading because we’re all coming at it with different experiences, expectations, and questions. What I found to be abstract and unhelpful may make a lot of sense to you. Like I said, I’m still processing and trying to figure out what I’m going to take away from this book. Try it for yourself and see if you can find the answers you’re looking for.
**Received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
See more reviews at www.shelfreflection.com !
This book is a compilation of essays written by 10 different people based on their own experience in our conflicted culture. There were a lot of true and good things advised- like interacting with humility, tolerance, and patience- but it all felt so vague and abstract. Maybe the specifics of what I’m looking for is unrealistic to expect to fit into a book and would make for better in-person discussion. I guess I still need to wrestle with that.
I just didn’t feel like they really gave me any concrete examples to follow. Yet they all came across as if they had an idea in their mind of what they wanted everyone to do or say, but no one was willing to just say it bluntly. They were all beating around the bush of really portraying: this is right and this is wrong. Act like this, not like this. Say this, not that. Because honestly, I think we all already know we’re supposed to be humble, patient, and tolerant, but I think we’re all walking around with our own definitions and ideas about what each of those look like. We all think we’re doing them but we’re probably not.
I also feel like there was this negative generalization of white evangelicals by most of the contributors (and really people everywhere) that I’m exasperated of. It’s this idea that all white evangelicals, because of their privilege, somehow have an incomplete or illegitimate faith, living in some la-la land, unable to see or understand hard reality and that, though it’s not necessarily our fault, we are these immature and unenlightened Christians whose opinions and faiths don’t really matter because we haven’t personally seen, experienced, or struggled with racism or oppression of some kind. We are a group ‘to be reached with the truth.’ How am I to respond when I happen to be white and I’ve chosen the beliefs of evangelical Christianity? How does that automatically make ‘my gospel’ ‘white and wrong’ when we’re reading the same Bible?
Additionally, there’s this vibe that if we’re not out advocating for social justice every day then we are part of the problem, not the solution. And I realize these are extreme and exaggerated statements to make, but I read and hear it time and time again with no clear ‘solution.’ Books like this aren’t giving any other sort of practical and realistic suggestions of how this actually would look like for a normal US citizen. And I’m just at a loss.
You can’t just say the church and white evangelicals are getting it wrong and then provide vague directives like ‘be humble, patient, and tolerant,’ ‘listen more than speak,’ ‘choose our words carefully,’ ‘be willing to take action,’ ‘have a posture of embrace rather than fear,’ and ‘don’t overidentify with a political group.’ These are not new concepts. We all think we’re doing these. Give us examples of what this does or doesn’t look like for the average person. How do conversations actually look? What particular action steps make sense for my life as a stay-at-home mom in a mostly white suburb with not a lot of people I interact with on a regular basis?
All of these contributors have significant areas of influence- professors, pastors, book-writers, song-writers, doctors, etc. It’s great what they are doing and the influence they are able to have to bring about change, but we don’t all have the ability, capacity, or opportunity to have our lives look like that. I just want a book on this topic that is more accessible and answers questions rather than avoids them.
It’s probably clear by now that I was disappointed, and I didn’t agree with everything that was written, BUT I don’t condemn this book by any means. I think it’s probably worth everyone reading because we’re all coming at it with different experiences, expectations, and questions. What I found to be abstract and unhelpful may make a lot of sense to you. Like I said, I’m still processing and trying to figure out what I’m going to take away from this book. Try it for yourself and see if you can find the answers you’re looking for.
**Received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
See more reviews at www.shelfreflection.com !
May 20, 2020
I ordered this book after watching a Zoom chat between all of its authors. Basically it’s a collection of 12 personal essays all around the theme of what it means to interact with people you disagree with, as a Christian. This could mean broadly a different political party or race, or it could be hyper-specifically with a difficult coworker or family member. Lots of gold in here, worth meditating on, and lots of places where I found myself saying, ah! How! Only supernaturally!
I wish it were easier for me to seek the good of people who hurt me. I wish I were quick to forgive and quick to tolerate (a fuzzy word, but described in this book as separating a person from his or her ideas). I wish I never stereotyped! Was too quick to speak! Ignored someone else’s pain! Maybe this book is a step in that direction. Peacemaking is noble and beautiful work and I am not natural at it—may God grow it in me.
I wish it were easier for me to seek the good of people who hurt me. I wish I were quick to forgive and quick to tolerate (a fuzzy word, but described in this book as separating a person from his or her ideas). I wish I never stereotyped! Was too quick to speak! Ignored someone else’s pain! Maybe this book is a step in that direction. Peacemaking is noble and beautiful work and I am not natural at it—may God grow it in me.
Read
September 13, 2021I appreciate the honesty behind these personal stories. Although the context is entirely American, I thought the exhortation to be a faithful presence amid cultural dissonance is pretty universal. Some good unpacking of the biblical metaphor of Christians as "salt of the earth", but also reminders that believers' primary allegiance is to the heavenly city. We ought not to expect to find ourselves at home in the earthly city marred by sin, but at the same time, there is a mandate to engage culture, to care about our neighbor's suffering – and there is confidence given to do it because of the hope that all things will be made new.
(I'm partial to the second chapter on storytelling)
(I'm partial to the second chapter on storytelling)
April 23, 2021
Probably 3.5 if GR would let me
In our pluralistic society, how do we as Christians find common ground with our neighbors if we can’t even agree on what constitutes a common good? Here a dozen contributors are invited to explore how we may best embody humility, patience, and tolerance in civic life. It is stressed that we as Christians should not overidentify with any particular party or platform, and that instead we should be living as “resident aliens” in every culture.
While there are several essays that are helpful, I enjoyed those by Keller and Inazu the most. Keller describes the cultural differences between Blue and Red America:
“While one culture was seeing the decline of marriage and family, and a growing obsession with self-fulfillment and individual happiness, the other was filled with self-righteousness, bigotry, and abuse of power.” Neither one truly models the Christian ideal of shalom. Keller understood that as a pastor in NYC he would need “to make the first group feel less at home in their society. They needed to see that their citizenship in the kingdom had to take precedence and make them sharply different from the rest of the city in the way they used sex, money, and power. The second group had to recognize that they were genuine citizens of New York, and I urged them to serve and engage in three ways: by being public with their faith in their relationships, by integrating their faith with their work, and by working for justice and compassion in their neighborhoods.”
This book draws on James Davidson Hunter’s “To Change the World,” which I recommend highly, and John Inazu’s “Confident Pluralism,” which I will now plan to read soon.
In our pluralistic society, how do we as Christians find common ground with our neighbors if we can’t even agree on what constitutes a common good? Here a dozen contributors are invited to explore how we may best embody humility, patience, and tolerance in civic life. It is stressed that we as Christians should not overidentify with any particular party or platform, and that instead we should be living as “resident aliens” in every culture.
While there are several essays that are helpful, I enjoyed those by Keller and Inazu the most. Keller describes the cultural differences between Blue and Red America:
“While one culture was seeing the decline of marriage and family, and a growing obsession with self-fulfillment and individual happiness, the other was filled with self-righteousness, bigotry, and abuse of power.” Neither one truly models the Christian ideal of shalom. Keller understood that as a pastor in NYC he would need “to make the first group feel less at home in their society. They needed to see that their citizenship in the kingdom had to take precedence and make them sharply different from the rest of the city in the way they used sex, money, and power. The second group had to recognize that they were genuine citizens of New York, and I urged them to serve and engage in three ways: by being public with their faith in their relationships, by integrating their faith with their work, and by working for justice and compassion in their neighborhoods.”
This book draws on James Davidson Hunter’s “To Change the World,” which I recommend highly, and John Inazu’s “Confident Pluralism,” which I will now plan to read soon.
January 31, 2021
Another audio read that I ended up rereading the hard copy. I loved this book. A timely and encouraging read as each chapter author shares their biography and realm they’re using their gifts to affect change. A diverse group of saints living out their respective callings faithfully and, dare I say it, "transforming culture" in their circle of the world. While cultural divisions abound in the church and out, this collection offers concrete "hope." An excellent beginning to the new year. Favorite chapters = The Storyteller (Lecrae) and The Reconciler (Tricia Newbell).
Some quotes:
"Trees take in potentially harmful gases surrounding them and offer life-giving-oxygen to the world. Trees do not offer this oxygen only to their own kind; they improve the air quality for everyone. Of course, trees also offer many other benefits: beauty, shade, fruit, and a habitat for wildlife. The world would be diminished in significant ways without the contributions of trees. Wouldn't it be amazing if that was our reputation as Christians today?" (Kristin Deede Johnson, pg. 16)
“Sharing stories means sharing emotions and rendering ourselves vulnerable to others. And we can recognize the full range of emotions in our stories. Anger can be good if it is constructive and non destructive. Constructive anger leads to passionately fighting for the rights of the marginalized: destructive anger leads to burning buildings and rioting. (Lecrae, pg 104)
“The artist can either use story to help people see God’s master narrative or point to a lesser, unworthy, protagonist.” (Lecrae, pg 107)
“We must remember that seeking to be reconcilers within the church is important to Christians because our love for one another testifies to the world about Jesus (John 13:35). So when we think about the world and engaging culture, we should not only think “out there.” How we engage with one another on these topics is important. If the church is divided on race--and it is-- what does that say to the world about us? How we seek to reconcile with one another could mean spiritual life or death to others looking in. It’s important, and we shouldn’t take this call lightly.” (Trillia Newbell, pg. 175)
Some quotes:
"Trees take in potentially harmful gases surrounding them and offer life-giving-oxygen to the world. Trees do not offer this oxygen only to their own kind; they improve the air quality for everyone. Of course, trees also offer many other benefits: beauty, shade, fruit, and a habitat for wildlife. The world would be diminished in significant ways without the contributions of trees. Wouldn't it be amazing if that was our reputation as Christians today?" (Kristin Deede Johnson, pg. 16)
“Sharing stories means sharing emotions and rendering ourselves vulnerable to others. And we can recognize the full range of emotions in our stories. Anger can be good if it is constructive and non destructive. Constructive anger leads to passionately fighting for the rights of the marginalized: destructive anger leads to burning buildings and rioting. (Lecrae, pg 104)
“The artist can either use story to help people see God’s master narrative or point to a lesser, unworthy, protagonist.” (Lecrae, pg 107)
“We must remember that seeking to be reconcilers within the church is important to Christians because our love for one another testifies to the world about Jesus (John 13:35). So when we think about the world and engaging culture, we should not only think “out there.” How we engage with one another on these topics is important. If the church is divided on race--and it is-- what does that say to the world about us? How we seek to reconcile with one another could mean spiritual life or death to others looking in. It’s important, and we shouldn’t take this call lightly.” (Trillia Newbell, pg. 175)
April 30, 2020
This book definitely has some chapters that you can skim and others that are absolutely necessary to read. I found the introduction and conclusion particularly helpful in framing the issues handled by the various authors and synthesizing and harmonizing how these individual stories fit into a larger argument about Christian engagement and witness in an increasingly post-Christian, pluralist setting. I found Warren’s, Inazu’s, and Kinghorn’s chapters to be most provocative and challenging of the book.
December 1, 2020
I loved the concept behind this book, but the reality was that some essays were better than others. There were some moments of powerful truth and insight. But, most spent a lot of time establishing how they came to their perspective, which was good, but I was more interested in the take-homes and less interested in the back stories. Having the conversation that is this book is fantastic and I hope it keeps going.
August 29, 2022
The first sentence of the Introduction sets forth the theme and purpose of the book: "This book's central question is how Christians can engage with those around us, while both respecting people whose beliefs differ from our won and maintaining our gospel confidence." In seeking to answer that question, Keller and Inazu have gathered twelve writers to discuss the issues and each to contribute a chapter to the book.
Rather than what you might expect, i.e., a set of propositions or prescriptions as to how to engage, the book gives us twelve different narratives, a faith and life story from each contributor. As Keller and Inazu note, quoting from Flannery O'Connor, "You tell a story because a statement would be inadequate."
Of the twelve contributors only a few were familiar to me, but I found all their stories compelling. The book presents perspectives from (in order) a theologian, a pastor, an adventurer, an entrepreneur, a writer, a songwriter, a storyteller, a translator, a bridge builder, a caregiver, a reconciler, and a peacemaker. These individuals are drawn from a variety of races, backgrounds, life histories, and occupations, but all are committed Christians seeking to walk in a manner of the calling with which we have been called (Eph. 4:1).
Each story ranges from 12-22 pages. I found them to be very approachable and engaging. The book is a fairly quick read, since it is not heavy with theological or philosophical language, and who doesn't like a good story? Here you will find twelve of them.
Rather than what you might expect, i.e., a set of propositions or prescriptions as to how to engage, the book gives us twelve different narratives, a faith and life story from each contributor. As Keller and Inazu note, quoting from Flannery O'Connor, "You tell a story because a statement would be inadequate."
Of the twelve contributors only a few were familiar to me, but I found all their stories compelling. The book presents perspectives from (in order) a theologian, a pastor, an adventurer, an entrepreneur, a writer, a songwriter, a storyteller, a translator, a bridge builder, a caregiver, a reconciler, and a peacemaker. These individuals are drawn from a variety of races, backgrounds, life histories, and occupations, but all are committed Christians seeking to walk in a manner of the calling with which we have been called (Eph. 4:1).
Each story ranges from 12-22 pages. I found them to be very approachable and engaging. The book is a fairly quick read, since it is not heavy with theological or philosophical language, and who doesn't like a good story? Here you will find twelve of them.
October 29, 2024
3.5, maybe 3.75. I thought some of the earlier essays in the book were much more captivating and poignant than the others, but still overall enjoyed reading perspectives from people in different spheres of life and work. Fairly digestible too, so if you have the chance to read it, might as well!
March 19, 2022
Not for me...
July 5, 2023
the only part I loved was Timothy Keller's perspective & wisdom. It went downhill afterwards with all the other writers in this book... shocking, to say the least.
January 31, 2024
A collection of 10 essays discussing living as a Christian in a world full of difference (political, racial, sexual, moral, etc). I very much enjoyed reading the multitude of perspectives in this book from Christian voices with different titles, ethnicities, cultures, etc. I didn't agree with everything said in the essays, but I think part of the takeaway from the book is that even Christians can have different perspectives that shape our thinking. And if we can't learn to listen to those perspectives of other believers, how can we expect to be able to relate and hopefully show the Gospel to those who don't share a Biblical worldview? To that point I think if you are going to read this book approach it HUMBLY and you will get some good wisdom out of it. Look for things you disagree with, look to be offended, or have a prideful heart and you will leave discouraged. My personal favorite essays were Tim Keller, Tom Lin, and John Inazu. Some quotes below:
Keller:
"The gospel did not fit the conventional categories or received perspective, and Christians who followed the gospel were out of step with everyone. Yet our understanding of the Christian faith did not allow us to disengage, caricature, or demonize anyone at all, either secular or traditional. Our understanding of ourselves as sinners saved by sheer grace made it hard to feel either disdainful or fearful of anyone."
Lin:
"When we cling to the familiar, like short-term missionaries who bring their own toilet paper, granola bars, and personal entertainment devices, we become burdened by our baggage. Demanding the privilege, position, and affirmation that many Western Christians enjoyed decades ago keeps us looking back longingly; eventually, like Lot’s wife, we become too petrified to move forward. We fail to engage with what lies ahead. But moving forward into less familiar terrain often comes with a cost."
Inazu:
The best arguments are not caricatures; they represent the most charitable and most sophisticated accounts of an opposing view. When we demonize the other side, we miss important insights that can only be learned through charitably understanding a different perspective. We lose the possibility of finding common ground.
Keller:
"The gospel did not fit the conventional categories or received perspective, and Christians who followed the gospel were out of step with everyone. Yet our understanding of the Christian faith did not allow us to disengage, caricature, or demonize anyone at all, either secular or traditional. Our understanding of ourselves as sinners saved by sheer grace made it hard to feel either disdainful or fearful of anyone."
Lin:
"When we cling to the familiar, like short-term missionaries who bring their own toilet paper, granola bars, and personal entertainment devices, we become burdened by our baggage. Demanding the privilege, position, and affirmation that many Western Christians enjoyed decades ago keeps us looking back longingly; eventually, like Lot’s wife, we become too petrified to move forward. We fail to engage with what lies ahead. But moving forward into less familiar terrain often comes with a cost."
Inazu:
The best arguments are not caricatures; they represent the most charitable and most sophisticated accounts of an opposing view. When we demonize the other side, we miss important insights that can only be learned through charitably understanding a different perspective. We lose the possibility of finding common ground.
August 5, 2020
Summary: Twelve individuals from different walks of life discuss what Christian faithfulness and the pursuit of the common good looks like in a deeply divided culture.
How are Christians to live in this time where we seem deeply divided about everything from wearing masks to the status of an embryo in the womb to the seriousness of the changes we are witnessing in the world's climate? Not only are divisions around these and a host of issues deep, but engagement between those who differ seems nearly impossible. So what is a Christian to do? Many have decided that the only options are to "go to ground" and talk about vacations and share cute cat memes. Others have concluded that you must side up on one side of the divide and "unfriend" all those one disagrees with. How is a Christian to live if one cares about the common good and about faithfulness to a kingdom-of-God-shaped life that anticipates the peaceable kingdom and beloved community of the world to come.
These are the questions addressed by the twelve people who contributed to this book edited by Tim Keller, whose Redeemer Church has had a redemptive influence in New York City, and John Inazu, a law professor from St. Louis engaged in a program called the Carver Project whose stated mission is framed in these terms:
We empower Christian faculty and students to serve and connect university, church, and society. We work toward uncommon community, focused engagement, and creative dialogue.
Joining them are theologian Kristen Deede Johnson, InterVarsity/USA president Tom Lin, social entrepreneur Rudy Carrasco, writer and Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren, songwriter Sara Groves, rap artist Lecrae, Christian college network leader Shirley V. Hoogstra, psychiatrist Warren Kinghorn, African American community engagement leader in the Southern Baptist Convention Trillia Newbell, and Pastor Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. a peacemaker in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading a multi-site, socially engaged church, The Park Church.
Some essays are more inward looking as is Tish Harrison Warren's describing her discovery of a calling as a writer, that of naming reality through words. Tim Keller traces his calling from a rural pastorate to New York City and his sense that the gospel critiqued both rural conservatism and urban secular culture, and the sense that in planting a church, Redeemer was called to be salt and light in the city, citizens both of an earthly and heavenly city with the latter taking priority.
Others think more about the terms of engagement of Christians with a divided and pluralistic society. John Inazu advances the virtues of humility, tolerance, and patience as he seeks to translate between the church and the university. Warren Kinghorn talks about walking with the psychologically wounded. Both Trillia Newbell and Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. explore what it means to be reconcilers, peacemakers in a racist society.
Keller and Inazu tie up the strands of the different essays by calling attention to one of the most significant works on Christian engagement written in the last thirty years, James Davison Hunter's To Change the World. They single out Hunter's idea of faithful presence and articulate four themes from the essay of what it takes to find "uncommon ground" in our culture while living faithfully to Christ:
1. Christians should not overidentify with any particular political party or platform.
2. Christians should approach the community around them through a posture of love and service.
3. Christians should recognize that the gospel subverts rival stories and accounts of reality.
4. Christians should reach out to others with humility, patience, and tolerance.
My one hesitance with the language of faithful presence is that it needs more definition to avoid being reduced to a life of service, integrity and niceness. Particularly considering the issues of justice roiling our culture with women, people of color, immigrants and more, is there something more to be said about Christians stance with those on the margins? Perhaps that is implicit in the idea of a subversive gospel. Several do touch on this. Lecrae talks about the narratives that color our perceptions around race and the necessity of telling different stories. Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. gets closest to "edgy" in stating that "[m]aking peace and striving for justice are intimately intertwined."
I've always wanted to be in the place of reconciling differences, of finding the common ground, even if it is a third way shaped by the gospel. What I wrestle with is knowing when it is not possible to find common or uncommon ground. Are there things with which we cannot reconcile--for example white supremacy? Are there "brightline offenses" that must be called out and resisted without equivocation? What does it mean to love across these kinds of differences? How does one do this without becoming a partisan?
At the same time, the writers cast a vision for being very different Christians from what the world expects, and what is often portrayed in the media. The use of personal narratives helps us identify different examples of what it looks like. Yet this is not engagement "lite." Most of the writers couple theological frameworks with personal stories, offering us rich fare for thought and community and life. Keller and Inazu not only contribute substantive essays but set up the collection and tie it together well. Even more, they created a conversation among the contributors, who often play off each other, giving the work a coherence not often found in a collection of essays. This was an "uncommon" conversation on "uncommon ground."
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
How are Christians to live in this time where we seem deeply divided about everything from wearing masks to the status of an embryo in the womb to the seriousness of the changes we are witnessing in the world's climate? Not only are divisions around these and a host of issues deep, but engagement between those who differ seems nearly impossible. So what is a Christian to do? Many have decided that the only options are to "go to ground" and talk about vacations and share cute cat memes. Others have concluded that you must side up on one side of the divide and "unfriend" all those one disagrees with. How is a Christian to live if one cares about the common good and about faithfulness to a kingdom-of-God-shaped life that anticipates the peaceable kingdom and beloved community of the world to come.
These are the questions addressed by the twelve people who contributed to this book edited by Tim Keller, whose Redeemer Church has had a redemptive influence in New York City, and John Inazu, a law professor from St. Louis engaged in a program called the Carver Project whose stated mission is framed in these terms:
We empower Christian faculty and students to serve and connect university, church, and society. We work toward uncommon community, focused engagement, and creative dialogue.
Joining them are theologian Kristen Deede Johnson, InterVarsity/USA president Tom Lin, social entrepreneur Rudy Carrasco, writer and Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren, songwriter Sara Groves, rap artist Lecrae, Christian college network leader Shirley V. Hoogstra, psychiatrist Warren Kinghorn, African American community engagement leader in the Southern Baptist Convention Trillia Newbell, and Pastor Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. a peacemaker in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading a multi-site, socially engaged church, The Park Church.
Some essays are more inward looking as is Tish Harrison Warren's describing her discovery of a calling as a writer, that of naming reality through words. Tim Keller traces his calling from a rural pastorate to New York City and his sense that the gospel critiqued both rural conservatism and urban secular culture, and the sense that in planting a church, Redeemer was called to be salt and light in the city, citizens both of an earthly and heavenly city with the latter taking priority.
Others think more about the terms of engagement of Christians with a divided and pluralistic society. John Inazu advances the virtues of humility, tolerance, and patience as he seeks to translate between the church and the university. Warren Kinghorn talks about walking with the psychologically wounded. Both Trillia Newbell and Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. explore what it means to be reconcilers, peacemakers in a racist society.
Keller and Inazu tie up the strands of the different essays by calling attention to one of the most significant works on Christian engagement written in the last thirty years, James Davison Hunter's To Change the World. They single out Hunter's idea of faithful presence and articulate four themes from the essay of what it takes to find "uncommon ground" in our culture while living faithfully to Christ:
1. Christians should not overidentify with any particular political party or platform.
2. Christians should approach the community around them through a posture of love and service.
3. Christians should recognize that the gospel subverts rival stories and accounts of reality.
4. Christians should reach out to others with humility, patience, and tolerance.
My one hesitance with the language of faithful presence is that it needs more definition to avoid being reduced to a life of service, integrity and niceness. Particularly considering the issues of justice roiling our culture with women, people of color, immigrants and more, is there something more to be said about Christians stance with those on the margins? Perhaps that is implicit in the idea of a subversive gospel. Several do touch on this. Lecrae talks about the narratives that color our perceptions around race and the necessity of telling different stories. Claude Richard Alexander, Jr. gets closest to "edgy" in stating that "[m]aking peace and striving for justice are intimately intertwined."
I've always wanted to be in the place of reconciling differences, of finding the common ground, even if it is a third way shaped by the gospel. What I wrestle with is knowing when it is not possible to find common or uncommon ground. Are there things with which we cannot reconcile--for example white supremacy? Are there "brightline offenses" that must be called out and resisted without equivocation? What does it mean to love across these kinds of differences? How does one do this without becoming a partisan?
At the same time, the writers cast a vision for being very different Christians from what the world expects, and what is often portrayed in the media. The use of personal narratives helps us identify different examples of what it looks like. Yet this is not engagement "lite." Most of the writers couple theological frameworks with personal stories, offering us rich fare for thought and community and life. Keller and Inazu not only contribute substantive essays but set up the collection and tie it together well. Even more, they created a conversation among the contributors, who often play off each other, giving the work a coherence not often found in a collection of essays. This was an "uncommon" conversation on "uncommon ground."
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 30, 2021
I did not love this book but I didn’t hate it either! This book is a collection of stories from people like Lecrae, Sara Groves, Trillia Newbell and others and some of the stories are extremely impactful and helpful! Others failed, in my opinion, to completely flesh out their thoughts and ideas and I felt like many of the contributors were struggling and beating around the bush of what they wanted to say. The topic of this book is VERY IMPORTANT and extremely necessary to discuss and wrestle in. I really enjoyed the common theme of patience, humility and tolerance and I’m glad this book was written because Christians NEED to be talking about how we engage with others in our society particularly when it comes to race relations. I read this book with a group and I honestly think that is the best way to read it, with others, because this book is a great starting place for good discussion.
May 6, 2020
This is a great collection of chapters written by Christians as they discuss what living out the Christian faith with truth in love looks like in their professional spheres in a pluralistic society and how to be salt and light in this culture. There is a good cross section of orthodox Christians with differing perspectives: people of color, complementarians, egalitarians, artists, professionals, scholars, and clergy. It is refreshing to see the church come together these days to rally around what they have in COMMON as opposed to
arguing on what makes the tribes different.
arguing on what makes the tribes different.
September 22, 2020
It was decent. Tim Keller, Tish Harrison Warren, Warren Kinghorn, and Claude Alexander’s chapters were all my favorites. I think I’m probably hungering for a more articulated vision or worldview that this book was offering, which is not its fault. A good introduction to thinking from different segments and persons within the evangelical church committed to justice and humility.
March 24, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded down
This book is a trip to the spiritual chiropractor. A good posture adjustment, slightly uncomfortable at times.
I love the concept of this book, but I found most of the essays to be just okay and pretty forgettable (sorry). However, two specific essays—Timothy Keller’s and Tish Harrison Warren’s—were worth the price of admission alone and will stick with me for a long time.
This book is a trip to the spiritual chiropractor. A good posture adjustment, slightly uncomfortable at times.
I love the concept of this book, but I found most of the essays to be just okay and pretty forgettable (sorry). However, two specific essays—Timothy Keller’s and Tish Harrison Warren’s—were worth the price of admission alone and will stick with me for a long time.
July 12, 2021
This book is extremely relevant for our current times — it presents a collection of essays and chapters from great minds in reformed theology today on how to peacefully encounter difference in our world and graciously interact with political thought. Very articulate and thought-provoking, hearing these diverse voices on how to exist while reflecting Christ in such a painfully divided society.
March 20, 2023
I relished the autobiographical elements in this book from people I respect (LeCrae, Keller, Warren) and also from people I had never heard of before (Hoogstra, Lin, Johnson). It's always encouraging to hear a call to find common ground in the midst of our climate filled with vitriolic polarization. This is also a good book on thinking how God can use different vocations (artist, lawyer, politician, teacher, etc.) to glorify himself. Sometimes the enumeration of platitudes was tiring, but that couldn't hold me back from giving Uncommon Ground 5 stars.
October 21, 2025
A timely read for me as I often am weighed down by the challenges of loving others well when they are so different from me.
“It felt risky even though it was perfectly safe.”
Amen! Christ firmly holds my future and in that I can rest assured. ♥️
“It felt risky even though it was perfectly safe.”
Amen! Christ firmly holds my future and in that I can rest assured. ♥️
September 2, 2020
The timeliness of this book is uncanny- a welcome reflection on living a life that reflects Christ among people and cultures with vastly differing ideologies.
July 18, 2020
Urgently necessary to read in light of recent current events. Restorative to the Christian faith with notes on how we can be better communicators. This book urges Christians, and rightly so, to take steps towards other humans that are different from them (in any way) instead of backing away. States how crucial it is that we find common ground, and it’s not as hard as you think, with those who think differently than us, through the love we experience through Christ. Blatantly points out how the church has contributed to racism on even a systemic level and how we can begin as members of the church to heal what has been unfortunately broken. It’s a call to a bonding of all humans, but this bond will only happen if we all do our part in whatever area of expertise we find ourselves.
September 17, 2020
At Made to Flourish, we often focus on the three flourishings. We argue that a flourishing pastor should lead to a flourishing church, and a flourishing church should result in a flourishing community.
We are living in a moment fraught with questions, uncertainties, and fear. All of which do not often lead to the three flourishings mentioned above. The challenges of our current moment: a global pandemic, protests around systems that treat people differently because of the color of their skin, and economic struggles make me grateful for Timothy Keller, John Inazu, and a group of authors who came together to write the recent book, Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully In A World of Difference. The goal of this book is to help Christians understand our cultural moment and what Christian faithfulness looks like in spite of pervasive differences.
In other words, Uncommon Ground helps us understand why so many of our communities are not flourishing.
We live in deeply divided, even antagonistic times. Americans today lack agreement about the purpose of our country, the nature of the common good, and even the meaning of human flourishing. These differences affect not only what we think but also how we think, as well as how we see the world. In light of these profound divisions, how can Christians interact with those around them in ways that show respect to those whose beliefs are radically different while remaining faithful to the Gospel?
Keller and Inazu assembled a team of thoughtful writers, theologians, entrepreneurs, songwriters, pastors, and business owners to answer this question.
If there is one Scripture that embodies the spirit of this book, I think it is Ephesians 4:1-2: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love.”
The genesis of the book came from correspondence Keller and Inazu had over a period of years. They sought to understand how people can find common good across deep and seemingly insurmountable differences. Conflicts have existed since the fall, though it seems they are only getting worse and are amplified every four years when there is a presidential election in the United States. This year is no exception.
The goal of Uncommon Ground is not a description of the gospel for this generation. It is, however, to reframe the gospel for a particular context. Before you can reframe, you must understand.
Keller and Inazu as editors chose stories as the guiding pedagogy for the book. Part one unpacks the roles through which we think about our engagement with others. Kristen Deed Johnson, a professor at Western Theological Seminary, helps readers understand the contributions of a theologian. Keller explores the role of a pastor. Tom Lin, president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship describes the adventurer, and Rudy Carrasco, program officer at Murdock Trust, the entrepreneur.
Part two presents the ways in which we speak to our neighbors in this cultural moment. Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest, reflects on the role of the writer. Sara Groves, a songwriter; Lecrae, a recording artist, and producer; and John Inazu, a professor of law and religion write about how we can communicate with others through songwriting, storytelling, and translating.
Finally, part three helps us understand our embodied engagement with culture. Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and Warren Kinghorn, professor of psychiatry and theology at Duke discuss bridge-building and caregiving. The book concludes with presentations regarding our roles as reconcilers and peacemakers by Trillia Newbell, an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers, and Claude Alexander, Jr., senior pastor at The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Each of these stories is rich on their own, giving the reader a window into the author’s story, and the ways in which they have approached their engagement with a world of difference.
Building bridges: four principles
We are living in a highly divided moment. Politics, race, justice, education, church, and so much more divide rather than unite our country and our churches. Hoogstra provides four essential principles of bridge-building that apply to our cultural moment.
First, we must show respect. Respect starts with the understanding that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. This view allows for a high view of everyone regardless of their relationship with Jesus, or what their past. Respect is not the same as agreement, though it influences the way people disagree with each other.
Second, we must demonstrate humility. Anyone who seeks to remove divisions must be a learner. We should seek to understand someone from their point of view. Like respect, humility does not require agreement, but it does require patience, empathy, and a desire to listen. Humility builds on the foundation of respect for an individual’s imago Dei, by remembering the mercy and grace God shows us.
Third, we must show ourselves to be trustworthy. Trust is the currency of the realm. We will not break down barriers if there is not a foundation of trust. Hoogstra notes that trustworthiness is built by not talking about someone behind their back or seeking to malign their reputation. We build trust by demonstrating generosity and giving someone the benefit of the doubt.
Finally, we must show love. Building bridges is an act of love, but increasingly, we cannot show love in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit’s power for any act, perhaps especially building bridges because of the real fear of failure if we do not do this well. Bridge builders must have the self-awareness to know if they are acting from a place of love or fear.
Uncommon Ground is full of stories of individuals building relationships with people with whom they differ. Whether it was Hoogstra building a bridge with a lawyer or Inazu working with an interfaith leader, they both adopted a bridge-builder mindset, seeking common ground across differences, advancing common interests, and bringing people together.
If you are not satisfied with the Christianity you are normatively seeing online, if you are not feeling at home in either political party, if you are unsure about the best way to engage with the culture and love your neighbor in this unprecedented moment, if you care about the future of the church, this is a book for you.
We are living in a moment fraught with questions, uncertainties, and fear. All of which do not often lead to the three flourishings mentioned above. The challenges of our current moment: a global pandemic, protests around systems that treat people differently because of the color of their skin, and economic struggles make me grateful for Timothy Keller, John Inazu, and a group of authors who came together to write the recent book, Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully In A World of Difference. The goal of this book is to help Christians understand our cultural moment and what Christian faithfulness looks like in spite of pervasive differences.
In other words, Uncommon Ground helps us understand why so many of our communities are not flourishing.
We live in deeply divided, even antagonistic times. Americans today lack agreement about the purpose of our country, the nature of the common good, and even the meaning of human flourishing. These differences affect not only what we think but also how we think, as well as how we see the world. In light of these profound divisions, how can Christians interact with those around them in ways that show respect to those whose beliefs are radically different while remaining faithful to the Gospel?
Keller and Inazu assembled a team of thoughtful writers, theologians, entrepreneurs, songwriters, pastors, and business owners to answer this question.
If there is one Scripture that embodies the spirit of this book, I think it is Ephesians 4:1-2: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love.”
The genesis of the book came from correspondence Keller and Inazu had over a period of years. They sought to understand how people can find common good across deep and seemingly insurmountable differences. Conflicts have existed since the fall, though it seems they are only getting worse and are amplified every four years when there is a presidential election in the United States. This year is no exception.
The goal of Uncommon Ground is not a description of the gospel for this generation. It is, however, to reframe the gospel for a particular context. Before you can reframe, you must understand.
Keller and Inazu as editors chose stories as the guiding pedagogy for the book. Part one unpacks the roles through which we think about our engagement with others. Kristen Deed Johnson, a professor at Western Theological Seminary, helps readers understand the contributions of a theologian. Keller explores the role of a pastor. Tom Lin, president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship describes the adventurer, and Rudy Carrasco, program officer at Murdock Trust, the entrepreneur.
Part two presents the ways in which we speak to our neighbors in this cultural moment. Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest, reflects on the role of the writer. Sara Groves, a songwriter; Lecrae, a recording artist, and producer; and John Inazu, a professor of law and religion write about how we can communicate with others through songwriting, storytelling, and translating.
Finally, part three helps us understand our embodied engagement with culture. Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and Warren Kinghorn, professor of psychiatry and theology at Duke discuss bridge-building and caregiving. The book concludes with presentations regarding our roles as reconcilers and peacemakers by Trillia Newbell, an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers, and Claude Alexander, Jr., senior pastor at The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Each of these stories is rich on their own, giving the reader a window into the author’s story, and the ways in which they have approached their engagement with a world of difference.
Building bridges: four principles
We are living in a highly divided moment. Politics, race, justice, education, church, and so much more divide rather than unite our country and our churches. Hoogstra provides four essential principles of bridge-building that apply to our cultural moment.
First, we must show respect. Respect starts with the understanding that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. This view allows for a high view of everyone regardless of their relationship with Jesus, or what their past. Respect is not the same as agreement, though it influences the way people disagree with each other.
Second, we must demonstrate humility. Anyone who seeks to remove divisions must be a learner. We should seek to understand someone from their point of view. Like respect, humility does not require agreement, but it does require patience, empathy, and a desire to listen. Humility builds on the foundation of respect for an individual’s imago Dei, by remembering the mercy and grace God shows us.
Third, we must show ourselves to be trustworthy. Trust is the currency of the realm. We will not break down barriers if there is not a foundation of trust. Hoogstra notes that trustworthiness is built by not talking about someone behind their back or seeking to malign their reputation. We build trust by demonstrating generosity and giving someone the benefit of the doubt.
Finally, we must show love. Building bridges is an act of love, but increasingly, we cannot show love in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit’s power for any act, perhaps especially building bridges because of the real fear of failure if we do not do this well. Bridge builders must have the self-awareness to know if they are acting from a place of love or fear.
Uncommon Ground is full of stories of individuals building relationships with people with whom they differ. Whether it was Hoogstra building a bridge with a lawyer or Inazu working with an interfaith leader, they both adopted a bridge-builder mindset, seeking common ground across differences, advancing common interests, and bringing people together.
If you are not satisfied with the Christianity you are normatively seeing online, if you are not feeling at home in either political party, if you are unsure about the best way to engage with the culture and love your neighbor in this unprecedented moment, if you care about the future of the church, this is a book for you.
April 26, 2023
There are some very good essays in this book about how to come together...not because everyone else becomes sane, but because we follow a God who sends us as peace makers and reconcilers in the world. There are many points of view through out the the book that lends itself to being readily related to by most people.
The reality is that peace doesn't come because of a movement, it will come because we truly love and worship Jesus first above all. Too often Christians have entered the fray of today's turmoil by being fearful and angry, but we must be better and reach out in grace and love like God has reached to us in Christ. As Miroslav Volf says of Christianity, "it will only be violent if it is stripped of its content— thinned out - and infused with a different set of values."
Our value comes from Christ, so we can in turn treat others with dignity and love, no matter how they first treat us.
The reality is that peace doesn't come because of a movement, it will come because we truly love and worship Jesus first above all. Too often Christians have entered the fray of today's turmoil by being fearful and angry, but we must be better and reach out in grace and love like God has reached to us in Christ. As Miroslav Volf says of Christianity, "it will only be violent if it is stripped of its content— thinned out - and infused with a different set of values."
Our value comes from Christ, so we can in turn treat others with dignity and love, no matter how they first treat us.
December 31, 2020
America feels more divided than ever right now and social media only seems to fuel that division. So, how can Christians interact with people in today's divisive culture in a loving way while still remaining true to the gospel message of the Bible? In this book Timothy Keller and John Inazu invite in ten others to write about various ways we can connect with people even when we disagree. The book is divided into three sections - framing our engagement, communicating our engagement, and embodying our engagement - basically thinking, speaking, and living. While there aren't a lot of specific do's and don't's or lists of suggestions, the overall gist of the book is that as Christ-followers we are supposed to try to live like Jesus every day. Prayer was highlighted over and over again and even though it's so obvious how many of us pray before responding to a Facebook post we disagree with? How many of us pray before going to work every day that we will be a good example of the faith to our coworkers? How many of us have friends who aren't believers or are of another faith? How often do we really interact with people who are different than us/have different views/etc.? To me the main theme of this book is to try to live every day more like Jesus. He embodied the example of truth AND love - you can't have just one or the other, it has to be both and that's really hard to do. Overall, a very good and very timely book.
Some quotes I liked:
"One side wanted us to accept the dominant culture's beliefs about homosexuality, while the other wanted us to cut off homosexuals entirely. The Christian gospel, however, did not allow us to do either. The gospel did not fit the conventional categories or received perspective, and Christians who followed the gospel were out of step with everyone." (p. 25)
"Our supervisor's admonition to use words charitably shaped how we felt about the university and its administration - it actually made us feel more charity toward those with whom we disagreed, and it changed our understanding of what was happening. It was not easy to articulate in writing our differences with the administration in a way that honored what was best about the university. It would have been much easier, and more attention-getting, to write a scorched-earth takedown of liberal elites in the academy. Our more nuanced task was to disagree publicly and try, however fumbling and imperfectly, to use words and arguments that were truthful yet humble and that respected the dignity of those with whom we were arguing - to be people who spoke and wrote with conviction, but who resisted the short-lived sweetness of self-righteous vitriol." (p. 76)
"On one hand, we give too much weight to words. We confuse the pursuit of justice - the slow work of building or transforming institutions and systems - with using the right hashtag or rattling off an opinion on social media or venting rage or virtue signaling. It's not that hashtagging or using social media are irredeemable practices. But social media is never a neutral tool; it shapes how we see the world - and how we speak and act in it. Ironically, it can lead us to greater disengagement even as we consume more and more information about the world. We can become too quick to speak or write, and too slow to listen, understand, and respond with depth and creative action." (p. 81)
"A songwriter is called onto the scene not to make spiritual sense of it, or to answer for it, but simply to look around and cry out, 'Oh my God! Look at this unfathomable beauty!' Or, 'Oh my God! Look at this sh*t show!' This is what we see in the Psalms anyway." (p. 86)
"I believe in the idea that we 'vote' with our lives, money, and time. But if I feel as though my sole identity is as a walking representative of my church, my denomination, or my political party, then my speech and creativity are reduced to propaganda. I have to ask myself if I am stifling honest inquiry because I'm afraid to admit a flaw in the groups with which I most closely identify...My identity doesn't come from these organizations, and while the body of Christ is essential to my faith, I don't have to protect any particular organization at the expense of transparency and honest inquiry." (p. 95)
"What's more, we have trouble digesting a narrative that doesn't fit our worldview. It's actually easier for us to believe a false narrative that fits out outlook on the world than a true narrative that shakes and shatters our perspective. And that is true regardless of where we stand." (p. 106)
"Sometimes the inapt characterizations bother me, but more often they amuse me, like the time a faculty colleague said to me, 'I don't get you; you're religious, but you care about poor people.' Or the many times I've heard from Christians who tell me they can't trust a 'liberal law professor' like me. I regularly encounter people in my university world who assume from my faith that I am a Republican who likes guns. People in my church world often assume from my profession that I am a Democrat who reads only the New York Times." (p. 124-5)
"Respect isn't a synonym for agreement, but it does impact the way a person disagrees. One cannot respect another and harbor a desire to overpower that person through insults, dismissal, or derogatory actions." (p. 133)
"...Christians should not overidentify with any particular political party or platform. This does not mean that it is wrong to be a Democrat or a Republican (or a political independent, or part of some other party)...But Christians should also be wary of any identity that claims primacy over their identity in Christ." (p. 195)
Some quotes I liked:
"One side wanted us to accept the dominant culture's beliefs about homosexuality, while the other wanted us to cut off homosexuals entirely. The Christian gospel, however, did not allow us to do either. The gospel did not fit the conventional categories or received perspective, and Christians who followed the gospel were out of step with everyone." (p. 25)
"Our supervisor's admonition to use words charitably shaped how we felt about the university and its administration - it actually made us feel more charity toward those with whom we disagreed, and it changed our understanding of what was happening. It was not easy to articulate in writing our differences with the administration in a way that honored what was best about the university. It would have been much easier, and more attention-getting, to write a scorched-earth takedown of liberal elites in the academy. Our more nuanced task was to disagree publicly and try, however fumbling and imperfectly, to use words and arguments that were truthful yet humble and that respected the dignity of those with whom we were arguing - to be people who spoke and wrote with conviction, but who resisted the short-lived sweetness of self-righteous vitriol." (p. 76)
"On one hand, we give too much weight to words. We confuse the pursuit of justice - the slow work of building or transforming institutions and systems - with using the right hashtag or rattling off an opinion on social media or venting rage or virtue signaling. It's not that hashtagging or using social media are irredeemable practices. But social media is never a neutral tool; it shapes how we see the world - and how we speak and act in it. Ironically, it can lead us to greater disengagement even as we consume more and more information about the world. We can become too quick to speak or write, and too slow to listen, understand, and respond with depth and creative action." (p. 81)
"A songwriter is called onto the scene not to make spiritual sense of it, or to answer for it, but simply to look around and cry out, 'Oh my God! Look at this unfathomable beauty!' Or, 'Oh my God! Look at this sh*t show!' This is what we see in the Psalms anyway." (p. 86)
"I believe in the idea that we 'vote' with our lives, money, and time. But if I feel as though my sole identity is as a walking representative of my church, my denomination, or my political party, then my speech and creativity are reduced to propaganda. I have to ask myself if I am stifling honest inquiry because I'm afraid to admit a flaw in the groups with which I most closely identify...My identity doesn't come from these organizations, and while the body of Christ is essential to my faith, I don't have to protect any particular organization at the expense of transparency and honest inquiry." (p. 95)
"What's more, we have trouble digesting a narrative that doesn't fit our worldview. It's actually easier for us to believe a false narrative that fits out outlook on the world than a true narrative that shakes and shatters our perspective. And that is true regardless of where we stand." (p. 106)
"Sometimes the inapt characterizations bother me, but more often they amuse me, like the time a faculty colleague said to me, 'I don't get you; you're religious, but you care about poor people.' Or the many times I've heard from Christians who tell me they can't trust a 'liberal law professor' like me. I regularly encounter people in my university world who assume from my faith that I am a Republican who likes guns. People in my church world often assume from my profession that I am a Democrat who reads only the New York Times." (p. 124-5)
"Respect isn't a synonym for agreement, but it does impact the way a person disagrees. One cannot respect another and harbor a desire to overpower that person through insults, dismissal, or derogatory actions." (p. 133)
"...Christians should not overidentify with any particular political party or platform. This does not mean that it is wrong to be a Democrat or a Republican (or a political independent, or part of some other party)...But Christians should also be wary of any identity that claims primacy over their identity in Christ." (p. 195)
September 5, 2020
This was an unexpectedly good read. I appreciate Tim Keller using his name and his privilege to give voice to so many of the great contributors of this book.
Every contributor manages to be both gentle and humble while also bringing harsh critique of different areas of American life and culture. This is an excellent and convicting read, and I highly recommend it.
Every contributor manages to be both gentle and humble while also bringing harsh critique of different areas of American life and culture. This is an excellent and convicting read, and I highly recommend it.
February 4, 2021
I was expecting more opposing views within the book. It had some great perspectives but it didn't really accomplish it's goal, in my opinion.
July 29, 2020
I’m walking away with this: Making peace with others is hard work, it is work I am called to and it is work that I can practice without despair, regardless of the results, because of my hope in God’s final work.
Keller and Inazu set the stage, and tell their own stories, but also invite 10 others to talk about their own experiences with “living faithfully in a world of difference.”
You’d have to be hiding on an island without wifi to not be feeling the deep, intense divisions of our present world. Most of us have probably experienced the angst on social media and many, perhaps, in person as well.
In 12 strikingly different accounts, these believers share their own wrestlings with reconciliation and understanding. It’s challenging, encouraging and inspiring.
Keller and Inazu set the bar high in the introduction: “Jesus doesn’t tell us to tolerate our enemies. He says to love them.”
Our ultimate surety in Him allows us to receive the book’s message: “a call to engage the world as we find it, doing so with confident hope rather than stifling anxiety.”
From Kristen Johnson’s two cities essay – “political arrangements come and go but Christ our King still reigns” – to Tom Lin’s call to adventure – “I often wonder what Christians in the United States will need to leave behind in order to embrace the adventure God has before us. I wonder what God might be stripping away so we can cling, desperately and helplessly, only to Him” – I found myself simultaneously wanting to rest more in Him and do more to advance His kingdom.
Rudy Carrasco suggests we choose to “clean up a mess we had not made … to go where nothing is growing right now and help bring new life.”
Tish Warren’s words on words had me underlining half the essay: “Part of the Christian writer’s call to love in our era is to upset the easy categories of Left and Right, good guys and bad guys, black hats and white hats … Instead of overly tidy categories, we proclaim a common brokenness that affects all of humanity and all political systems and solutions, and yet we also proclaim a common value and dignity of all people.”
Lecrae took the pitifully common two-sided white police-black community conflict and suggested a third view: “A Christian worldview, marked by the biblical storyline, stands apart from ordinary, conventional storylines. It shows that in the grand scheme, we are all guilty. We are all villains, the bad guys. The true evil is sin showing its face through broken humanity, and it touches every one of us. The one true hero is Jesus and his power to restore broken hearts and repair the infrastructures corrupted by sin.”
I could quote from every essay. Each writer’s experience provides another layer to the conversation, more perspective that I hadn’t considered.
Keller and Inazu close with hope and specific practices to adopt if you want to live more faithfully in the middle of brokenness. I may need to read this paragraph daily, at least for a while.
“In the midst of these current and coming realities, Christians are called to live and act in the world in the confidence and hope of Jesus Christ. We are assured of ‘a future with hope’ as we seek to love our neighbors for our common well-being (Jer. 29:7, 11). Indeed, we may find increased opportunities for meaningful witness. The church has more often been a faithful witness when it lacked political power than at times when it sought to control.”
Keller and Inazu set the stage, and tell their own stories, but also invite 10 others to talk about their own experiences with “living faithfully in a world of difference.”
You’d have to be hiding on an island without wifi to not be feeling the deep, intense divisions of our present world. Most of us have probably experienced the angst on social media and many, perhaps, in person as well.
In 12 strikingly different accounts, these believers share their own wrestlings with reconciliation and understanding. It’s challenging, encouraging and inspiring.
Keller and Inazu set the bar high in the introduction: “Jesus doesn’t tell us to tolerate our enemies. He says to love them.”
Our ultimate surety in Him allows us to receive the book’s message: “a call to engage the world as we find it, doing so with confident hope rather than stifling anxiety.”
From Kristen Johnson’s two cities essay – “political arrangements come and go but Christ our King still reigns” – to Tom Lin’s call to adventure – “I often wonder what Christians in the United States will need to leave behind in order to embrace the adventure God has before us. I wonder what God might be stripping away so we can cling, desperately and helplessly, only to Him” – I found myself simultaneously wanting to rest more in Him and do more to advance His kingdom.
Rudy Carrasco suggests we choose to “clean up a mess we had not made … to go where nothing is growing right now and help bring new life.”
Tish Warren’s words on words had me underlining half the essay: “Part of the Christian writer’s call to love in our era is to upset the easy categories of Left and Right, good guys and bad guys, black hats and white hats … Instead of overly tidy categories, we proclaim a common brokenness that affects all of humanity and all political systems and solutions, and yet we also proclaim a common value and dignity of all people.”
Lecrae took the pitifully common two-sided white police-black community conflict and suggested a third view: “A Christian worldview, marked by the biblical storyline, stands apart from ordinary, conventional storylines. It shows that in the grand scheme, we are all guilty. We are all villains, the bad guys. The true evil is sin showing its face through broken humanity, and it touches every one of us. The one true hero is Jesus and his power to restore broken hearts and repair the infrastructures corrupted by sin.”
I could quote from every essay. Each writer’s experience provides another layer to the conversation, more perspective that I hadn’t considered.
Keller and Inazu close with hope and specific practices to adopt if you want to live more faithfully in the middle of brokenness. I may need to read this paragraph daily, at least for a while.
“In the midst of these current and coming realities, Christians are called to live and act in the world in the confidence and hope of Jesus Christ. We are assured of ‘a future with hope’ as we seek to love our neighbors for our common well-being (Jer. 29:7, 11). Indeed, we may find increased opportunities for meaningful witness. The church has more often been a faithful witness when it lacked political power than at times when it sought to control.”
April 25, 2025
Uncommon Ground is a mosaic of personal reflections from a diverse group of Christian thinkers, artists, and leaders who wrestle with what it means to live out their faith in a pluralistic world. Each chapter is a standalone story—a window into the sanctification journey of a different contributor. Every voice adds a unique texture to the shared question: how can Christians faithfully engage a world full of differences?
What stood out to me most was the structure of the book. Rather than offering a uniform argument or a theological treatise, Uncommon Ground unfolds more like a series of conversations over coffee. The story-based approach deeply resonated with me; people’s stories have a way of drawing me in, and this book felt like I was sitting down with several fascinating, inspiring individuals—each sharing their journey, their tensions, and their hope.
At times, I found myself wishing for more theological depth or extended discussion. But I quickly realized that isn’t really the point of this book. The goal here is not to persuade through doctrine but to invite through presence and testimony.
Professionally, I work in spaces where faith, difference, and shared dialogue clash, so I was especially grateful for the insights and experiences shared by the contributors. Their reflections gave me fresh language and renewed courage. Overall appreciated the authentic voices, wrestling in real-time, and presentations of a faithful presence in a fractured world.
This also marks my 50th book of the year! Whoop whoop! Also, at this point, do I just go for broke and try and read all of Tim Keller's catalogue?
What stood out to me most was the structure of the book. Rather than offering a uniform argument or a theological treatise, Uncommon Ground unfolds more like a series of conversations over coffee. The story-based approach deeply resonated with me; people’s stories have a way of drawing me in, and this book felt like I was sitting down with several fascinating, inspiring individuals—each sharing their journey, their tensions, and their hope.
At times, I found myself wishing for more theological depth or extended discussion. But I quickly realized that isn’t really the point of this book. The goal here is not to persuade through doctrine but to invite through presence and testimony.
Professionally, I work in spaces where faith, difference, and shared dialogue clash, so I was especially grateful for the insights and experiences shared by the contributors. Their reflections gave me fresh language and renewed courage. Overall appreciated the authentic voices, wrestling in real-time, and presentations of a faithful presence in a fractured world.
This also marks my 50th book of the year! Whoop whoop! Also, at this point, do I just go for broke and try and read all of Tim Keller's catalogue?
May 1, 2020
Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference is a recently released book of essays edited by Timothy Keller and John Inazu. The individuals who contributed essays to this work represent a wide variety of perspectives and careers from ministers, lawyers, authors, songwriters, and more. Some of the individuals will be very well-known such as rapper Lecrae while others may not be as familiar.
Uncommon Ground is organized into three sections Framing Our Engagement, Communicating Our Engagement, and Embodying Our Engagement. The emphasis truly is on how to engage others by finding a common ground with others who do not necessarily share beliefs. Each section has four essays that relate to the overarching topic. Each essay stands alone although the authors demonstrate that they have engaged with each other regarding the essays. I found each essay to be thought-provoking and delightful as the authors truly shared from the heart about their own experiences. However, each essay must be savored. This book is not one to be read quickly but needs to be mulled over. Uncommon Ground would be a wonderful selection for a discussion group. It also has potential as textbook for a class on how to engage culture.
I received a complementary copy from Thomson Nelson via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive opinion.
Uncommon Ground is organized into three sections Framing Our Engagement, Communicating Our Engagement, and Embodying Our Engagement. The emphasis truly is on how to engage others by finding a common ground with others who do not necessarily share beliefs. Each section has four essays that relate to the overarching topic. Each essay stands alone although the authors demonstrate that they have engaged with each other regarding the essays. I found each essay to be thought-provoking and delightful as the authors truly shared from the heart about their own experiences. However, each essay must be savored. This book is not one to be read quickly but needs to be mulled over. Uncommon Ground would be a wonderful selection for a discussion group. It also has potential as textbook for a class on how to engage culture.
I received a complementary copy from Thomson Nelson via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive opinion.
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