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Making the Best of It: Following Christ in the Real World
What should be the Christian's attitude toward society? When so much of our contemporary culture is at odds with Christian beliefs and mores, it may seem that serious Christians now have only two choices: transform society completely according to Christian values or retreat into the cloister of sectarian fellowship.
In Making the Best of It, John Stackhouse explores the history of the Christian encounter with society, the biblical record, and various theological models of cultural engagement to offer a more balanced and fruitful alternative to these extremes. He argues that, rather than trying to root up the weeds in the cultural field, or trying to shun them, Christians should practice persistence in gardening God's world and building toward the New Jerusalem. Examining the lives and works of C. S. Lewis, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer for example and direction, Stackhouse suggests that our mission is to make the most of life in the world in cooperation with God's own mission of redeeming the world he loves. This model takes seriously the pattern of God's activity in the Bible, and in subsequent history, of working through earthly means--through individuals, communities, and institutions that are deeply flawed but nonetheless capable of accomplishing God's purposes. Christians must find a way to live in this world and at the same time do work that honors God and God's plan for us.
In an era of increasing religious and cultural tensions, both internationally and domestically, the model that Stackhouse develops discourages the "all or nothing" attitudes that afflict so much of contemporary Christianity. Instead, he offers a fresh, and refreshingly nuanced, take on the question of what it means to be a Christian in the world today.
In Making the Best of It, John Stackhouse explores the history of the Christian encounter with society, the biblical record, and various theological models of cultural engagement to offer a more balanced and fruitful alternative to these extremes. He argues that, rather than trying to root up the weeds in the cultural field, or trying to shun them, Christians should practice persistence in gardening God's world and building toward the New Jerusalem. Examining the lives and works of C. S. Lewis, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer for example and direction, Stackhouse suggests that our mission is to make the most of life in the world in cooperation with God's own mission of redeeming the world he loves. This model takes seriously the pattern of God's activity in the Bible, and in subsequent history, of working through earthly means--through individuals, communities, and institutions that are deeply flawed but nonetheless capable of accomplishing God's purposes. Christians must find a way to live in this world and at the same time do work that honors God and God's plan for us.
In an era of increasing religious and cultural tensions, both internationally and domestically, the model that Stackhouse develops discourages the "all or nothing" attitudes that afflict so much of contemporary Christianity. Instead, he offers a fresh, and refreshingly nuanced, take on the question of what it means to be a Christian in the world today.
370 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2008
12 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
John G. Stackhouse Jr.
24 books89 followersA graduate of Queen's University (BA, first class), Wheaton College Graduate School (MA, summa cum laude), and The University of Chicago (PhD), he taught European history and then modern Christianity at postsecondary institutions in both the USA and Canada.
He is the author of eleven books, editor of four more, and co-author or co-editor of another half dozen. He has published over 700 articles, book chapters, and reviews, and his work has been featured on most major North American TV networks, in most major radio markets, and in periodicals as diverse as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Christianity Today, The Christian Century, The Times Literary Supplement, Time, and The Globe and Mail.
Dr. Stackhouse has lectured at Harvard's Kennedy School, Yale's Divinity School, Stanford's Law School, Hong Kong University, Edinburgh University, Fudan University, Otago University, and many other universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
He lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
He is the author of eleven books, editor of four more, and co-author or co-editor of another half dozen. He has published over 700 articles, book chapters, and reviews, and his work has been featured on most major North American TV networks, in most major radio markets, and in periodicals as diverse as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Christianity Today, The Christian Century, The Times Literary Supplement, Time, and The Globe and Mail.
Dr. Stackhouse has lectured at Harvard's Kennedy School, Yale's Divinity School, Stanford's Law School, Hong Kong University, Edinburgh University, Fudan University, Otago University, and many other universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
He lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 8, 2022
Whew, I started this in seminary and finished it 11 years later - at a time when the question of a Christian's place in the world is becoming more difficult to answer.
Stackhouse certainly provides plenty to chew on. He begins with a discussion of H. Richard Niebuhr's categories of "Christ and Culture," offering a critique and reappropriarion. He then engages with Reinhold Niebuhr's political views, C.S. Lewis's portrayal of the life of an individual believer, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's take on social responsibility, covering much ground in the introductory chapters.
Stackhouse then works to construct a model of Christian ethics, employing a tetralectic of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, humbly trusting God to guide us through our limited knowledge and interpretation.
Finally, he places us within the story of Scripture and asks, "who are we for Jesus Christ, today?" And offers insights for Christian vocation and an attitude of "realism" in this world.
Stackhouse certainly provides plenty to chew on. He begins with a discussion of H. Richard Niebuhr's categories of "Christ and Culture," offering a critique and reappropriarion. He then engages with Reinhold Niebuhr's political views, C.S. Lewis's portrayal of the life of an individual believer, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's take on social responsibility, covering much ground in the introductory chapters.
Stackhouse then works to construct a model of Christian ethics, employing a tetralectic of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, humbly trusting God to guide us through our limited knowledge and interpretation.
Finally, he places us within the story of Scripture and asks, "who are we for Jesus Christ, today?" And offers insights for Christian vocation and an attitude of "realism" in this world.
August 1, 2020
This is a book that has interesting sections, and then long pieces (such as much of the last stretch) where, as in a book that has forgotten what the plot was supposed to lead up, rambles its way to a finish. That's not entirely fair, because even in the rambling sections (tidily written, but also repetitive) there are things I highlighted because they stood out as important. it's just that the book's shape doesn't quite come off, and by the time I was working through the last (long) pages, I felt as though the author had said a great deal of it before.
The overviews and long quotes from Niebuhr and Bonhoeffer were both good, because neither of them are authors I was much familiar with. C S Lewis, in a sense suffers from overkill: so much of what's written about him here and the many quotes are already very familiar.
Thank goodness for being able to highlight paragraphs and even pages: those sections are the ones I'll remember from this book. And Stackhouse's writing style, which, for a theologian, is very readable. Hopefully I won't remember so much the feeling of déjà vu that the last section aroused.
The overviews and long quotes from Niebuhr and Bonhoeffer were both good, because neither of them are authors I was much familiar with. C S Lewis, in a sense suffers from overkill: so much of what's written about him here and the many quotes are already very familiar.
Thank goodness for being able to highlight paragraphs and even pages: those sections are the ones I'll remember from this book. And Stackhouse's writing style, which, for a theologian, is very readable. Hopefully I won't remember so much the feeling of déjà vu that the last section aroused.
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October 12, 2017Review here.
July 12, 2012
Pretty interesting book. Really deals with ethics and provides a framework for ethics in the real world. He argues that real world situations don't necessarily have the perfect ethical answer.
His theological framework is this:
1) Creation mandate - was never revoked. Still continues
2) The greatest commandment - Love God and Love others.
Other commandments are all subordinate to these commandments and should be read within the context of these commands. For example, the great commission exists because if we make disciples, we're loving them by introducing them to God, and we're loving God by getting more people to worship him. He concludes that because of this framework, it's okay that we do not know the consequences of every action that we do. Sure, if we go to war there might be some unintended or unforeseen consequences. But because we're seeking to fulfill these commandments above, overall good is being done.
He then applies a lot of specific issues to this theological framework. For example, should we go to war? Stackhouse argues that if it is a just war, we should go to war while acknowledging that peace is the ultimate answer. It might not be the answer right now in this real world situation that is corrupted by sin, but in the future, peace will be the answer. So we go to war, knowing that it's not completely right, but God is okay with that. On top of that, there could be another group of people that believe in pacifism. God might be telling them to protest the war. So God's will is captured in that 1) we went to war but 2) there are people protesting the war. In that tension is where God is really at.
He deals with a lot of the stuff that the emerging church people have been trying to address but he doesn't talk about the emerging church movement or anything.
The first half of the book is pretty boring though, where he talks about the history of this type of ethic, the Niebuhrs, Bonhoffer, CS Lewis and how those people approached it. His theological framework is also not very encompassing. It doesn't address every aspect of the bible and it doesn't seem very well integrated. He seems to elevate the creation mandate to the same level as the greatest commandment without much reasoning behind that. It's also not very gospel integrated. NT Wright's theological framework is much more Christ and gospel centered and shows how the two commandments really relate to each other and are necessary for each other. But Stackhouse didn't bring those aspects of the gospel in. It seems like there are just two separate commandments.
His theological framework is this:
1) Creation mandate - was never revoked. Still continues
2) The greatest commandment - Love God and Love others.
Other commandments are all subordinate to these commandments and should be read within the context of these commands. For example, the great commission exists because if we make disciples, we're loving them by introducing them to God, and we're loving God by getting more people to worship him. He concludes that because of this framework, it's okay that we do not know the consequences of every action that we do. Sure, if we go to war there might be some unintended or unforeseen consequences. But because we're seeking to fulfill these commandments above, overall good is being done.
He then applies a lot of specific issues to this theological framework. For example, should we go to war? Stackhouse argues that if it is a just war, we should go to war while acknowledging that peace is the ultimate answer. It might not be the answer right now in this real world situation that is corrupted by sin, but in the future, peace will be the answer. So we go to war, knowing that it's not completely right, but God is okay with that. On top of that, there could be another group of people that believe in pacifism. God might be telling them to protest the war. So God's will is captured in that 1) we went to war but 2) there are people protesting the war. In that tension is where God is really at.
He deals with a lot of the stuff that the emerging church people have been trying to address but he doesn't talk about the emerging church movement or anything.
The first half of the book is pretty boring though, where he talks about the history of this type of ethic, the Niebuhrs, Bonhoffer, CS Lewis and how those people approached it. His theological framework is also not very encompassing. It doesn't address every aspect of the bible and it doesn't seem very well integrated. He seems to elevate the creation mandate to the same level as the greatest commandment without much reasoning behind that. It's also not very gospel integrated. NT Wright's theological framework is much more Christ and gospel centered and shows how the two commandments really relate to each other and are necessary for each other. But Stackhouse didn't bring those aspects of the gospel in. It seems like there are just two separate commandments.
October 30, 2013
John Stackhouse builds on the "Christ and Culture" literature and attempts to find a way between those Christians who argue for a cultural conquest and those who proclaim cultural withdrawal. Stackhouse bravely seeks a solution in cultural persistence, a new sense of Christian Realism, truthful to the nature of things, "...especially to the nature of Jesus Christ as we know Him, and hear His call, today" (p 309). He seeks to add to "...the articulation and defense of a realistic Christian mode of engagement with most modern cultures today." (p 44). Building on the idea of our place in the Christian story (CS Lewis), that our identity and ethic is to be found in the form of Jesus Christ in the church (Bonnhoefer), and the seminal work on Christ and Culture by Niebuhr, Stackhouse proposes a solution full of paradox, ambiguity, ambivalence, irony and even outright danger. Christians should seek to "make the best of it", acknowledging that we live in a dialectic that calls for patience, compromise and persistence - a "holy discontent" that will characterize who we are till the new Jerusalem descends. A brave book challenging both the transformative model of Kuyperians and the radical orthodoxy of Millbankians, and may I dare to say, helping to steer many Christians into a sigh of relief? No, we do have to conquer the world, and no we do not have to withdraw ourselves from the world. But, what are the implications? Persistent engagement is where the heart of real Christian ethic lies. And, may I hasten to say, that is where the real difficult choices are to be made. Stackhouse, in fact, made Christian ethics a great deal more complicated. And for that I applaud what he has done.
March 11, 2009
Well, goodreads, you surely messed this one up. From the picture you can tell your title isn't right: it should be Making the Best of it: Following Christ in the Real World. Anyway, I read most of this book- I only needed to some parts of it for the writing project I am doing. But what I read was very good. As one of the blurbs on the back says, Stackhouse has uncommon common sense and his middle of the road conclusions always seem to transcend mere compromise. While quite readable for a scholarly book, I still would hesitate to recommend it to just anyone- mostly because interspersed with the things that would truly be helpful and interesting for anyone are things that are relevant only to the academician (it ain't me babe, I skipped those!) Still, I bought the big thing and I don't just do that willy-nilly anymore. I fully expect to have occasion to revisit the thing again over the years.
June 16, 2024
Reading evangelical theology helped me deconstruct my evangelical experience. The evangelical church took 14 years of my life, I will never get those years back. Time is value. The evangelical church took 14 years of my life. These liars and hypocrites lied to me, I did not know about my calling or vocation from God. Now I do, I was called by God to be an evangelical pastor. My entire evangelical career ended when an unscrupulous Bible college professor intentionally reversed what he was suppose to say to me. In light of sex scandal after sex scandal involving evangelical pastors, I can say I hate the evangelical church.
After reading this book by Stackhouse, his sex scandal broke. What a meaningful coincidence. He goes on and on when he could had finished the book in 200 pages. Stackhouse is not a good theologian or a good historian.
After reading this book by Stackhouse, his sex scandal broke. What a meaningful coincidence. He goes on and on when he could had finished the book in 200 pages. Stackhouse is not a good theologian or a good historian.
February 11, 2011
This was a really excellent and inspiring book. I loved the analysis in Part 2 of Lewis, Niebuhr, and Bonhoeffer, though it would have been nice to see a little more integration between that section and Part 3 (Stackhouse says up-front that he's not going to do that). My favorite sections would have to be the chapters near the end of the book on "Vocation" and "Principles of Christian Realism." Some very powerful thinking and an insightful analysis of culture! Stackhouse's contention for the essential role of paradox in ecclesiology -- what I like to think of as a radical ecumenicism (and what Jean-Luc Nancy might call an "inoperative community") -- is especially compelling.
March 25, 2012
The fact that I found this book difficult to finish is due more, I believe, to the fact that my mind is getting older and my life more difficult, than to any shortcoming of the book. I needed to have a clear and focused mind to consider the topics approached, and so often chose lighter reading when I could otherwise have spent time working through this one.
There is much valuable teaching here, with a justly balanced view point on how we as followers of Christ should live our lives and connect with the lives of others in today's world.
There is much valuable teaching here, with a justly balanced view point on how we as followers of Christ should live our lives and connect with the lives of others in today's world.
December 11, 2009
Go by the title on the photo. This book is heady, but interesting. It kept me up at night even when I was sleepy, but I didn't end up finishing it because I had it out a month from the library and have been too tired and busy to finish. He starts off discussing others' writings, and then presents his treatise for how Christians need to live in our world. I'd like to finish it. It's a topic that I have been wrestling with this year.
April 20, 2012
Dense and wonderful, a healthy, holistic perspective on Christian engagement with culture. It's helpful to be familiar with Niebuhr's five "Christ and Culture" paradigms ahead of time, but Stackhouse does a good job introducing them if you haven't. This book continues to impact me, both in my ordinary following of Jesus and as a pastor in my preaching and pastoral care.
July 8, 2011
Best book I've read this year!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews