What do you think?
Rate this book
Ministry in a Secular Age #5
The Church after Innovation: Questioning Our Obsession with Work, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship
Outreach 2023 Resource of the Year (Church)
Named One of Fifteen Important Theology Books of 2022, Englewood Review of Books
Churches and their leaders have innovation fever. Innovation seems exciting--a way to enliven tired institutions, embrace creativity, and be proactive--and is a superstar of the business world. But this focus on innovation may be caused by an obsession with contemporary relevance, creativity, and entrepreneurship that inflates the self, lacks theological depth, and promises burnout.
In this follow-up to Churches and the Crisis of Decline , leading practical theologian Andrew Root delves into the problems of innovation. He explores where innovation and entrepreneurship came from, shows how they break into church circles, and counters the "new imaginations" like neoliberalism and technology that hold the church captive to modernity. Root reveals the moral visions of the self that innovation and entrepreneurship deliver--they are dependent on workers (and consumers) being obsessed with their selves, which leads to significant faith-formation issues. This focus on innovation also causes us to think we need to be singularly unique instead of made alive in Christ. Root offers a return to mysticism and the poetry of Meister Eckhart as a healthier spiritual alternative.
This is the fifth book in Root's Ministry in a Secular Age series.
Named One of Fifteen Important Theology Books of 2022, Englewood Review of Books
Churches and their leaders have innovation fever. Innovation seems exciting--a way to enliven tired institutions, embrace creativity, and be proactive--and is a superstar of the business world. But this focus on innovation may be caused by an obsession with contemporary relevance, creativity, and entrepreneurship that inflates the self, lacks theological depth, and promises burnout.
In this follow-up to Churches and the Crisis of Decline , leading practical theologian Andrew Root delves into the problems of innovation. He explores where innovation and entrepreneurship came from, shows how they break into church circles, and counters the "new imaginations" like neoliberalism and technology that hold the church captive to modernity. Root reveals the moral visions of the self that innovation and entrepreneurship deliver--they are dependent on workers (and consumers) being obsessed with their selves, which leads to significant faith-formation issues. This focus on innovation also causes us to think we need to be singularly unique instead of made alive in Christ. Root offers a return to mysticism and the poetry of Meister Eckhart as a healthier spiritual alternative.
This is the fifth book in Root's Ministry in a Secular Age series.
256 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2022
22 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Root
63 books123 followersAndrew Root joined Luther Seminary in 2005 as assistant professor of youth and family ministry. Previously he was an adjunct professor at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington D.C., and Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J.
Root received his bachelor of arts degree from Bethel College, St. Paul, Minn., in 1997. He earned his master of divinity (2000) and his master of theology (2001) degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif. He completed his doctoral degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2005.
Root's ministry experience includes being a gang prevention counselor in Los Angeles, youth outreach directed in a congregation, staff member of Young Life, and a confirmation teacher. He has also been a research fellow for Princeton Theological Seminary's Faith Practices Project.
Root has published articles in the Journal of Youth and Theology, The International Journal of Practical Theology, and Word and World.
He is a member of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and the International Bonhoeffer Society.
Root received his bachelor of arts degree from Bethel College, St. Paul, Minn., in 1997. He earned his master of divinity (2000) and his master of theology (2001) degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif. He completed his doctoral degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2005.
Root's ministry experience includes being a gang prevention counselor in Los Angeles, youth outreach directed in a congregation, staff member of Young Life, and a confirmation teacher. He has also been a research fellow for Princeton Theological Seminary's Faith Practices Project.
Root has published articles in the Journal of Youth and Theology, The International Journal of Practical Theology, and Word and World.
He is a member of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and the International Bonhoeffer Society.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 15, 2023
We live in an age of innovation. Change is taking place everywhere. Those who succeed in this age embrace innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. It's happening in the wider world, of course, and for the most part, I'm glad. I like my smartphone, vaccines for a virus that has spread across the globe, and all the other blessings of this innovative age. Of course, sometimes it feels as if change and innovation, which comes so rapidly it seems as if it exceeds what is necessary. It is innovation for the sake of innovation. My computer becomes obsolete as soon as I purchase it, which means that while it still works fine, it needs to be replaced annually (or so it seems). That spirit of innovation, which is rooted in neo-liberal capitalism, has found its way into the church. Yes, for the church to survive and thrive in this new age of innovation, it needs to be innovative and entrepreneurial. So, we either get on board or get left behind.
Andrew Root has been writing about the church navigating this increasingly secular age, producing a series of books that have caught the attention of many including myself. "The Church After Innovation," followed quickly his book Churches and the Crisis of Decline: A Hopeful, Practical Ecclesiology for a Secular Age, with both being published in 2022. These books followed his book The Congregation in a Secular Age: Keeping Sacred Time Against the Speed of Modern Life, along with several others that form his series of books that focus on "Ministry In a Secular Age." I have found each of the books I've read, and I've not read them all, rather helpful as I've reflected on the realities facing the churches in the twenty-first century.
Of his books that focus on the challenges facing the churches in this secular age, this one may be the most poignant, at least in my reading of it. In an earlier book, Root pointed out that the secular age is speeding up, with change happening at breakneck speed. The churches try to keep up, but continue to fall further behind. In our attempts to catch up, or at least keep pace, we hear the clarion call to innovate. While creativity is good, the danger, as Root helpfully lays out in this book, is that innovation can end up being an idol around which one centers one's identity. In fact, the idol might be the creative self that seeks to be a singularity. Our need, in this new age, is to be a unique self, otherwise, we become nothing more than basic, and who wants to be basic? Thus, we become obsessively competitive, wanting to exceed what others are doing so we can be truly unique selves (churches).
While Root regularly engages with Charles Taylor in his books, following Taylor's analysis of secularism, in each of his books he also draws upon other figures. In this book he daws on the works of Andreas Reckwitz, including his The Invention of Creativity: Modern Society and the Culture of the New and The Society of Singularities.
The book begins with the story of a synod event that Root speaks at. Before he spoke another person, a younger member of the clergy, whom he calls "Applebees Boy," makes a presentation, in which the church must be creative if it is to survive. That is, "It is time to innovate or die. THE CHURCH knows that it is now or never. Design a new way forward or disappear. Innovation is THE CHURCH's only Hope!" Like Applebees, either we innovate or die. At that same meeting, he encounters "Synod Executive Guy" who is tasked with distributing money received from the sale of closed churches. While some in the church would love to use that money to fix roofs and such, so that they can sustain ministry, he's committed to investing in innovation. Finally, there is the curmudgeonly older clergyman, whom he calls "Bearded Brown Turtleneck" who is not happy with all this innovation talk that runs counter to his vision of the church rooted in tradition. This storyline parallels the story of Russ, a pastor, working with young adults, seeking funding for a project to enhance their ministry with young adults. The challenge faced by Russ is that the group he puts together gets stymied by the need to create something unique, but even a good idea isn't good enough. Thus, the group falls apart, due in large part to a competitive spirit.
Root is not against change. He's not in agreement with "Bearded Brown Turtleneck" who seems to reject all change and innovation and creativity. At the same time, he helps us see that the pursuit of innovation is rooted in neoliberal capitalism, so we understand its roots. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't learn from the move to innovation, but we need to be careful lest we become obsessed with it. Most importantly, he addresses the problem of the inflation of the self.
Chapters 2 through 6 focus on the changing nature of capitalism, work, and identity. In these chapters, he explores the way in which post-World War II/Cold War Keynesian economics divided the public work world from the private world. The church lived within the private sphere. Think Leave it to Beaver. Things began to change in the 1970s as the divide between the two fell and the two became intermingled. As Keynesian economics gave way to neoliberal capitalism in the late 70s and 1980s. Whereas under the previous vision of economics, production was central. With the new economics, it's innovation and creativity that is most valued. There is less stability in this new system, but one is free to become whomever and whatever one wishes. The self becomes central. As such creativity and not stability is the goal. This leads to changes in management. In the former way of doing things, management focused on production, whereas in the new economy, management focuses on the people with the expectation that this will unleash creativity and innovation as people seek to fulfill their own unique identities. In other words, we innovate or die. All of this washes back into the church. Again this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's the focus.
When we get to chapter 7, which Root titles "The Viennese Worm That Exposes the True Self," we begin to explore more deeply this concept of the unique self. Whereas in the Victorian world, one understood one's identity and the home was formative. But with Freud, this changed, with the home no longer being the have but rather where one lost one's true self. While the 1950s sought to reclaim that Victorian vision, by the time the 1960s ended that was all falling apart. In this new world that fully blossomed with the neoliberal capitalism of the 1980s and 90s, innovation became the locus where one discovered one's identity, one's true self. In chapter 7, Root takes a closer look at the centrality of creativity, where the self becomes the star. In other words, one does not want to be basic. One wants to be a singularity, a unique self. In this new world, standardization is set aside in favor of uniqueness, where the "designer wears the crown." This emphasis on creativity and uniqueness leads to an inflation of the self. We move further into this reality in chapter 8, where we might not be special but we need to feel special. That is, we need to be a singular self. Following Andreas Reckwitz, he shows how we live in a society of singularities, where we fear being basic. Again, this feeds into the church, such that congregations and denominations must be freed from standardization. In doing so, they become liberated from old forms and functions. Interestingly, churches that have moved most fully into expressive creativity tend to move away from the denomination -- doing its own thing. The danger here is the competitive spirit and the focus on evaluation, where everything is appraised on the basis of being a singularity. As he reminds us in chapter 9, it's about the money. Here he brings in the story of St. Francis of Assisi who stood naked against the money. Money is important, and a key to reform. But, money and the concept of debt can feed in on itself.
So how do free ourselves from this constant need to innovate and to continually seek after the unique self that becomes competitive as we embrace constant evaluation? Remember Root isn't against creativity or innovation in the church, but he offers a warning about the dangers of getting caught up in it, such that we end up burning out. Thus, in chapter 10 he introduces us to the mystical path, with the key figures being Meister Eckhardt, John Tauler, and the author of the Theologica Germanica. He opens chapter 10, by sharing the story of what happened to the Synod Executive Guy and Applebee's Boy in the midst of the pandemic. Interestingly, the Synod Executive Guy ended up deflated as his attempts at innovation began to bend back on him, while Applebee's Boy left the ministry entirely. The message here is that the mystical path takes us back to Jesus. That is, the constant focus on being a singularity put the focus on the self, such that God was pushed out of the conversation. These teachers of the mystical path, however, sought to turn to God, drawing on God's grace. This means being willing to let go, beginning with our preconceptions about God. This letting go enables us to let go of the spectral god of money. Growth no longer is the goal, God is the goal. When we finally get to chapter 11, Root again takes us to Germany where we encounter Shelling, Hegel, and Friedrich Holderlin, whose efforts led to the birth of the Romantic tradition as a response to the Enlightenment. This opens up a conversation about a theology of the cross that addresses the question of authenticity.
Creativity is not the problem. What is the danger is that we can get up in the search for the self and lose ourselves. Change is not bad, but we can burn ourselves out because we take everything upon ourselves and not place ourselves in a position to receive from God and embrace the beauty that comes from God. I found the book to be liberating as Root shared how we got to this point, with innovation as king. What many probably don't realize is that we are embracing neoliberal capitalism, perhaps without recognizing it. Indeed, I know many progressive mainline Protestants who decrie neoliberalism even as they fully embrace permanent innovation (lest we die!).
Andrew Root has been writing about the church navigating this increasingly secular age, producing a series of books that have caught the attention of many including myself. "The Church After Innovation," followed quickly his book Churches and the Crisis of Decline: A Hopeful, Practical Ecclesiology for a Secular Age, with both being published in 2022. These books followed his book The Congregation in a Secular Age: Keeping Sacred Time Against the Speed of Modern Life, along with several others that form his series of books that focus on "Ministry In a Secular Age." I have found each of the books I've read, and I've not read them all, rather helpful as I've reflected on the realities facing the churches in the twenty-first century.
Of his books that focus on the challenges facing the churches in this secular age, this one may be the most poignant, at least in my reading of it. In an earlier book, Root pointed out that the secular age is speeding up, with change happening at breakneck speed. The churches try to keep up, but continue to fall further behind. In our attempts to catch up, or at least keep pace, we hear the clarion call to innovate. While creativity is good, the danger, as Root helpfully lays out in this book, is that innovation can end up being an idol around which one centers one's identity. In fact, the idol might be the creative self that seeks to be a singularity. Our need, in this new age, is to be a unique self, otherwise, we become nothing more than basic, and who wants to be basic? Thus, we become obsessively competitive, wanting to exceed what others are doing so we can be truly unique selves (churches).
While Root regularly engages with Charles Taylor in his books, following Taylor's analysis of secularism, in each of his books he also draws upon other figures. In this book he daws on the works of Andreas Reckwitz, including his The Invention of Creativity: Modern Society and the Culture of the New and The Society of Singularities.
The book begins with the story of a synod event that Root speaks at. Before he spoke another person, a younger member of the clergy, whom he calls "Applebees Boy," makes a presentation, in which the church must be creative if it is to survive. That is, "It is time to innovate or die. THE CHURCH knows that it is now or never. Design a new way forward or disappear. Innovation is THE CHURCH's only Hope!" Like Applebees, either we innovate or die. At that same meeting, he encounters "Synod Executive Guy" who is tasked with distributing money received from the sale of closed churches. While some in the church would love to use that money to fix roofs and such, so that they can sustain ministry, he's committed to investing in innovation. Finally, there is the curmudgeonly older clergyman, whom he calls "Bearded Brown Turtleneck" who is not happy with all this innovation talk that runs counter to his vision of the church rooted in tradition. This storyline parallels the story of Russ, a pastor, working with young adults, seeking funding for a project to enhance their ministry with young adults. The challenge faced by Russ is that the group he puts together gets stymied by the need to create something unique, but even a good idea isn't good enough. Thus, the group falls apart, due in large part to a competitive spirit.
Root is not against change. He's not in agreement with "Bearded Brown Turtleneck" who seems to reject all change and innovation and creativity. At the same time, he helps us see that the pursuit of innovation is rooted in neoliberal capitalism, so we understand its roots. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't learn from the move to innovation, but we need to be careful lest we become obsessed with it. Most importantly, he addresses the problem of the inflation of the self.
Chapters 2 through 6 focus on the changing nature of capitalism, work, and identity. In these chapters, he explores the way in which post-World War II/Cold War Keynesian economics divided the public work world from the private world. The church lived within the private sphere. Think Leave it to Beaver. Things began to change in the 1970s as the divide between the two fell and the two became intermingled. As Keynesian economics gave way to neoliberal capitalism in the late 70s and 1980s. Whereas under the previous vision of economics, production was central. With the new economics, it's innovation and creativity that is most valued. There is less stability in this new system, but one is free to become whomever and whatever one wishes. The self becomes central. As such creativity and not stability is the goal. This leads to changes in management. In the former way of doing things, management focused on production, whereas in the new economy, management focuses on the people with the expectation that this will unleash creativity and innovation as people seek to fulfill their own unique identities. In other words, we innovate or die. All of this washes back into the church. Again this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's the focus.
When we get to chapter 7, which Root titles "The Viennese Worm That Exposes the True Self," we begin to explore more deeply this concept of the unique self. Whereas in the Victorian world, one understood one's identity and the home was formative. But with Freud, this changed, with the home no longer being the have but rather where one lost one's true self. While the 1950s sought to reclaim that Victorian vision, by the time the 1960s ended that was all falling apart. In this new world that fully blossomed with the neoliberal capitalism of the 1980s and 90s, innovation became the locus where one discovered one's identity, one's true self. In chapter 7, Root takes a closer look at the centrality of creativity, where the self becomes the star. In other words, one does not want to be basic. One wants to be a singularity, a unique self. In this new world, standardization is set aside in favor of uniqueness, where the "designer wears the crown." This emphasis on creativity and uniqueness leads to an inflation of the self. We move further into this reality in chapter 8, where we might not be special but we need to feel special. That is, we need to be a singular self. Following Andreas Reckwitz, he shows how we live in a society of singularities, where we fear being basic. Again, this feeds into the church, such that congregations and denominations must be freed from standardization. In doing so, they become liberated from old forms and functions. Interestingly, churches that have moved most fully into expressive creativity tend to move away from the denomination -- doing its own thing. The danger here is the competitive spirit and the focus on evaluation, where everything is appraised on the basis of being a singularity. As he reminds us in chapter 9, it's about the money. Here he brings in the story of St. Francis of Assisi who stood naked against the money. Money is important, and a key to reform. But, money and the concept of debt can feed in on itself.
So how do free ourselves from this constant need to innovate and to continually seek after the unique self that becomes competitive as we embrace constant evaluation? Remember Root isn't against creativity or innovation in the church, but he offers a warning about the dangers of getting caught up in it, such that we end up burning out. Thus, in chapter 10 he introduces us to the mystical path, with the key figures being Meister Eckhardt, John Tauler, and the author of the Theologica Germanica. He opens chapter 10, by sharing the story of what happened to the Synod Executive Guy and Applebee's Boy in the midst of the pandemic. Interestingly, the Synod Executive Guy ended up deflated as his attempts at innovation began to bend back on him, while Applebee's Boy left the ministry entirely. The message here is that the mystical path takes us back to Jesus. That is, the constant focus on being a singularity put the focus on the self, such that God was pushed out of the conversation. These teachers of the mystical path, however, sought to turn to God, drawing on God's grace. This means being willing to let go, beginning with our preconceptions about God. This letting go enables us to let go of the spectral god of money. Growth no longer is the goal, God is the goal. When we finally get to chapter 11, Root again takes us to Germany where we encounter Shelling, Hegel, and Friedrich Holderlin, whose efforts led to the birth of the Romantic tradition as a response to the Enlightenment. This opens up a conversation about a theology of the cross that addresses the question of authenticity.
Creativity is not the problem. What is the danger is that we can get up in the search for the self and lose ourselves. Change is not bad, but we can burn ourselves out because we take everything upon ourselves and not place ourselves in a position to receive from God and embrace the beauty that comes from God. I found the book to be liberating as Root shared how we got to this point, with innovation as king. What many probably don't realize is that we are embracing neoliberal capitalism, perhaps without recognizing it. Indeed, I know many progressive mainline Protestants who decrie neoliberalism even as they fully embrace permanent innovation (lest we die!).
October 11, 2022
Each year, Apple enthusiasts celebrate the latest new iPhone. Software gets upgraded with more features that are better, faster, and more powerful than the previous generation. The old gets replaced by the new. It is a modern phenomenon that many of us are used to. Just like the Olympics where the prize goes to the fastest, tallest, or most able achievements, life, in general, seems to be heading toward the modern belief that the "latest and the greatest" are deemed better than the previous generation. CS Lewis once calls it "Chronological snobbery." In this book, author Andrew Root looks at how such a philosophy has engulfed the Church at large. He probes the nature of innovation and entrepreneurship asking questions about the history, the underlying philosophies, and its influence on the Church. The basic question in this book is: "Is the Church influencing the world more than the world of innovation influencing the Church?" He points to the latter and calls the modern Church having an "ecclesial obsession" with all things innovation. Thus the title of this book looks at what would happen if the church uncritically embraced innovation in all of its ministries. The author engages a host of philosophical thoughts from Meister Eckhart, John Tauler, Theologia Germanica, Michel Foucault, Andreas Reckwitz, Friedrich Hölderlin, and others. Root raises the question of how similar the Church is with companies like Applebees's where innovation is crucial to survival. While it is one thing to hear from just one Church, it is yet another to notice how pervasive that philosophy is. He notes how one Church tried innovation with great success in the first year only to fizzle out the year after. His key assertion is that the Church should not confuse ministry innovation with her real mission.
He unpacks his thesis in the rest of the book by probing the roots of the uncritical use of innovation and individuality. For instance, modern infatuation with innovation hardly has any orientation toward things divine. He acknowledges the way creativity and innovation have helped move society forward. Yet, while creativity does has benefits in ministry, it should not become an identity in itself. From consumerism to capitalism, management to growth via neoliberalism, it is easy for people to embrace creativity and innovation as the new solutions to all things, including Church.
My Thoughts
==============
This book is high in critique but comparatively low when it comes to solutions. Root makes powerful observations about the state of the Church and how it has unwittingly hopped onto the innovation bandwagon, sometimes too uncritically. Like many academics, he too is high on deconstruction but relatively low on reconstruction. To be fair, the author has already made it clear at the onset that his thesis is but a starting point for further conversations. He makes strong arguments against our infatuation with all things based on individual creativity and nonstop innovation. This is especially so when it comes to things pertaining to the mission of the Church. He critiques the spirit of the "innovate or die" paradigm that is fast becoming a distraction. Worse, it sucks away the humanity in us. I find Root's thesis a timely reminder of Romans 12:1-2, to be careful not to let the philosophies of the world squeeze the church into its mold.
Some people might find Root's critiques of capitalism and entrepreneurship a little too drastic. This might be applicable to those already deep in the innovation cloud or those who had experienced some level of success from innovation philosophies. So, for these groups, it might take a little while to see the validity behind Root's observations. Bear in mind that he often qualifies his observations in terms of "assumptions." He is not saying that the Church should abandon innovation and creative entrepreneurship altogether. What he is actually saying is two-fold: 1) Don't be distracted by the innovation emphasis to the detriment of the true mission of the Church; 2) Refocus Christian Ministry based on the Theology of the Cross. Then our ministry will grow more toward authenticity instead of mere aesthetics.
A word about Root's conclusion. Using Friedrich Hölderlin's movement from Enlightenment to Romanticism, we are reminded that the highest goal of the human person is toward fulfillment in God rather than self-accomplishment. This might appear strange judging from Root's many analytical chapters throughout the book, only to arrive at such a conclusion about art and poetry. I remember one apologist saying how arguments can work both ways. If one could reason oneself into faith, in the same way, one could also reason oneself out of faith. Thus shows the limits of analysis. I believe Root has a point here, that the divine cannot be approached by the mind of analysis. God needs to be embraced in worship and that in itself is an art.
As always, I find Root's work very thought provoking. This book is no different.
Andrew Root (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of numerous books, including Faith Formation in a Secular Age, The Pastor in a Secular Age, The Congregation in a Secular Age, Churches and the Crisis of Decline, and The End of Youth Ministry? Root is also the coauthor (with Kenda Creasy Dean) of The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry.
Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
He unpacks his thesis in the rest of the book by probing the roots of the uncritical use of innovation and individuality. For instance, modern infatuation with innovation hardly has any orientation toward things divine. He acknowledges the way creativity and innovation have helped move society forward. Yet, while creativity does has benefits in ministry, it should not become an identity in itself. From consumerism to capitalism, management to growth via neoliberalism, it is easy for people to embrace creativity and innovation as the new solutions to all things, including Church.
My Thoughts
==============
This book is high in critique but comparatively low when it comes to solutions. Root makes powerful observations about the state of the Church and how it has unwittingly hopped onto the innovation bandwagon, sometimes too uncritically. Like many academics, he too is high on deconstruction but relatively low on reconstruction. To be fair, the author has already made it clear at the onset that his thesis is but a starting point for further conversations. He makes strong arguments against our infatuation with all things based on individual creativity and nonstop innovation. This is especially so when it comes to things pertaining to the mission of the Church. He critiques the spirit of the "innovate or die" paradigm that is fast becoming a distraction. Worse, it sucks away the humanity in us. I find Root's thesis a timely reminder of Romans 12:1-2, to be careful not to let the philosophies of the world squeeze the church into its mold.
Some people might find Root's critiques of capitalism and entrepreneurship a little too drastic. This might be applicable to those already deep in the innovation cloud or those who had experienced some level of success from innovation philosophies. So, for these groups, it might take a little while to see the validity behind Root's observations. Bear in mind that he often qualifies his observations in terms of "assumptions." He is not saying that the Church should abandon innovation and creative entrepreneurship altogether. What he is actually saying is two-fold: 1) Don't be distracted by the innovation emphasis to the detriment of the true mission of the Church; 2) Refocus Christian Ministry based on the Theology of the Cross. Then our ministry will grow more toward authenticity instead of mere aesthetics.
A word about Root's conclusion. Using Friedrich Hölderlin's movement from Enlightenment to Romanticism, we are reminded that the highest goal of the human person is toward fulfillment in God rather than self-accomplishment. This might appear strange judging from Root's many analytical chapters throughout the book, only to arrive at such a conclusion about art and poetry. I remember one apologist saying how arguments can work both ways. If one could reason oneself into faith, in the same way, one could also reason oneself out of faith. Thus shows the limits of analysis. I believe Root has a point here, that the divine cannot be approached by the mind of analysis. God needs to be embraced in worship and that in itself is an art.
As always, I find Root's work very thought provoking. This book is no different.
Andrew Root (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of numerous books, including Faith Formation in a Secular Age, The Pastor in a Secular Age, The Congregation in a Secular Age, Churches and the Crisis of Decline, and The End of Youth Ministry? Root is also the coauthor (with Kenda Creasy Dean) of The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry.
Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
March 16, 2025
As with the other Andrew Root books that I have read, the writing is at times dense, and the references are from many different disciplines (history, theology, philosophy, popular culture), but the conclusion bears fruit.
"Perhaps in our secular age of authenticity and the drive for singularity, what the church needs isn't innovators and entrepreneurs but poets who pray."
"Perhaps in our secular age of authenticity and the drive for singularity, what the church needs isn't innovators and entrepreneurs but poets who pray."
September 7, 2023
This is a well argued book about the professional context that main-line clergy find themselves working in. Root with one hand firmly rooted in social theory, and the other incisively observant about the culture exposes the beating pulse around church inc. which is the constant flood of authenticity, singularity, innovation, and darwinian neo-liberalism which swirls around us.
As a mainline pastor preparing to shut the doors on a small urban congregation who has done every innovation in the book to no avail I found so much freedom in these pages and almost an absolution. I don't have to go "find myself in the decline of the church" which is the death sentence that most seminaries, districts, and synod offices are giving to mainline clergy. This book gave me the wider view and the impetus to step back and reconnect. As well as a fabulous funhouse of footnotes and a bibliography to more deeply connect.
Root absolutely shines in his ability to diagnose the level of the self-obsessed idolatry the church is huffing from the culture around it. But many will find his prognosis a little ethereal by punting to the complicated and fraught theological tradition of the 14th century mystics who were responding to their own societal break down. I do note that he does point to a further "what now" in his other books which are a commentary and a digest of Charles Taylor for pastors. What I think actually remains is the hard work of finding a true "counter-culture" for the church to inhabit which isn't a straight retreat and defense against the main culture, but a way to bring the healing, hope, and promise of the gospel within it. "Letting go" just isn't going to cut it for our neighbors in the long term. As 1 Peter 3:15 puts it, they will at some point need to know just what we hold onto.
As a mainline pastor preparing to shut the doors on a small urban congregation who has done every innovation in the book to no avail I found so much freedom in these pages and almost an absolution. I don't have to go "find myself in the decline of the church" which is the death sentence that most seminaries, districts, and synod offices are giving to mainline clergy. This book gave me the wider view and the impetus to step back and reconnect. As well as a fabulous funhouse of footnotes and a bibliography to more deeply connect.
Root absolutely shines in his ability to diagnose the level of the self-obsessed idolatry the church is huffing from the culture around it. But many will find his prognosis a little ethereal by punting to the complicated and fraught theological tradition of the 14th century mystics who were responding to their own societal break down. I do note that he does point to a further "what now" in his other books which are a commentary and a digest of Charles Taylor for pastors. What I think actually remains is the hard work of finding a true "counter-culture" for the church to inhabit which isn't a straight retreat and defense against the main culture, but a way to bring the healing, hope, and promise of the gospel within it. "Letting go" just isn't going to cut it for our neighbors in the long term. As 1 Peter 3:15 puts it, they will at some point need to know just what we hold onto.
October 21, 2022
Andrew Root argues that the church's infatuation with work, creativity and entrepreneurship is driving us further from our mission, and further from the presence of God rather than closer.
I like Andy's work, and I've read all of the other books in this series. This book, however, felt a little like he is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I don't disagree with his premise that the church should remain focused on the things that sets itself apart from culture: prayer, faithfulness, Word, etc...
But I also think we can learn from the world around us about ways that the church can better connect, communicate, care and serve for God's people. This book felt a bit like Andy has a chip on his shoulder and was making an argument to tear down changes rather than to find ways to build things up.
I don't think the church as to be about prayer vs. innovation, or faithfulness vs. creativity. I think it can be "both and," as long as work, creativity or entrepreneurship don't become the God we seek instead of the person of Jesus Christ.
Andy makes a good, smart argument. He just feels especially reactionary in this particular book.
I like Andy's work, and I've read all of the other books in this series. This book, however, felt a little like he is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I don't disagree with his premise that the church should remain focused on the things that sets itself apart from culture: prayer, faithfulness, Word, etc...
But I also think we can learn from the world around us about ways that the church can better connect, communicate, care and serve for God's people. This book felt a bit like Andy has a chip on his shoulder and was making an argument to tear down changes rather than to find ways to build things up.
I don't think the church as to be about prayer vs. innovation, or faithfulness vs. creativity. I think it can be "both and," as long as work, creativity or entrepreneurship don't become the God we seek instead of the person of Jesus Christ.
Andy makes a good, smart argument. He just feels especially reactionary in this particular book.
December 8, 2022
Part of the author's series regarding how Christianity can look and work in our secular age; in this work he focuses on the emphasis on "innovation" and "entrepreneurship."
Throughout the book the author explains his connections in a denominational organization with various characters, all of whom want to move forward in ministry and be effective, but with varying commitments to "innovation." One guy is reactionary against such things; one seems to be a potent evangelist for it; another is a higher level official who is trying to leverage the spirit of the age to advance the mission.
Yet the author throughout has his misgivings about the entire impetus toward "innovation." He does so not from a Luddite or reactionary posture but instead considers the recent history of how we have reached the place where creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation are prized above all other things. Part of this story is the greater insecurity but "freedom" granted ever since the collapse of the bureaucratized workplace of the 1940s to the 1970s; a lot of the story is how capitalism manifests all kinds of internal contradictions regarding consumption and creativity and thus questions using what works for business as a model for what should work for Christians and churches. He speaks of the exhaustion brought by the constant pursuit of continual innovation, the over-valuation of the self when creativity is honored above all, and how attempting to foster creativity and innovation can many times backfire.
The story does not turn out as expected; the innovation evangelist leaves ministry; a dynamic small group looking to creatively innovate implodes and hinders the faith development of many of the young people working in it. The author looks toward the path of the mystics to help us find a way beyond innovation and creativity and the boxes they force us into in late capitalism.
A lot to chew on. Good critique of the continual attempts to use business insights to direct the way forward for Christians and churches. Definitely worth consideration.
**--galley received as part of early review program
Throughout the book the author explains his connections in a denominational organization with various characters, all of whom want to move forward in ministry and be effective, but with varying commitments to "innovation." One guy is reactionary against such things; one seems to be a potent evangelist for it; another is a higher level official who is trying to leverage the spirit of the age to advance the mission.
Yet the author throughout has his misgivings about the entire impetus toward "innovation." He does so not from a Luddite or reactionary posture but instead considers the recent history of how we have reached the place where creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation are prized above all other things. Part of this story is the greater insecurity but "freedom" granted ever since the collapse of the bureaucratized workplace of the 1940s to the 1970s; a lot of the story is how capitalism manifests all kinds of internal contradictions regarding consumption and creativity and thus questions using what works for business as a model for what should work for Christians and churches. He speaks of the exhaustion brought by the constant pursuit of continual innovation, the over-valuation of the self when creativity is honored above all, and how attempting to foster creativity and innovation can many times backfire.
The story does not turn out as expected; the innovation evangelist leaves ministry; a dynamic small group looking to creatively innovate implodes and hinders the faith development of many of the young people working in it. The author looks toward the path of the mystics to help us find a way beyond innovation and creativity and the boxes they force us into in late capitalism.
A lot to chew on. Good critique of the continual attempts to use business insights to direct the way forward for Christians and churches. Definitely worth consideration.
**--galley received as part of early review program
January 10, 2023
The first three books of the Ministry in a Secular Age series are Lord of the Rings. Building off of each other but good in their own right. Churches and the Crisis of Decline is like the Hobbit. It's connected but stands alone from the rest of the books. This one is the Silmarillion. It is dense but great. And even though it might be more difficult than the other books, it comes together in the end and makes sense. Definitely recommend.
November 3, 2022
Another outstanding entry in an outstanding series. In some ways this is the "biggest" argument of the books so far, and potentially the most difficult to wrap one's mind around, but it's a powerful diagnosis. Highly, highly recommended.
See my long discussion with Andy about the argument of this book here: https://youtu.be/-1Ktuj_33PA
See my long discussion with Andy about the argument of this book here: https://youtu.be/-1Ktuj_33PA
February 1, 2023
This book surprised me. I enjoy Andrew’s work and the direction. It’s both critique of the boarder culture but also a culture swept up into the church. Innovation is everywhere. The self is everywhere. Where is God though? We will only know when God arrives! Highly recommend for anyone serving in a church congregation or church system!
February 28, 2023
Another Excellent, challenging work from Andrew Root
Once again, Andrew Root challenges the leaders in the church to embrace a different paradigm of leadership to faithfully engage in the mission of God in a continually changing context.
Once again, Andrew Root challenges the leaders in the church to embrace a different paradigm of leadership to faithfully engage in the mission of God in a continually changing context.
January 29, 2024
An excellent return to form for the series, brilliantly relating the history of capitalism to its effect on the contemporary church, and calling into question our priorities as the church in a time of decline.
October 18, 2022
This felt disappointing after the previous books in the series. Messy and unconvincing.
January 29, 2025
I love Andy Root's work so much, but this was by far the hardest to read. There's some good stuff in here, but not nearly as good as the previous 4.
January 19, 2024
Terrific book.
Could be more practical by the end but that's Lutherans for ya. (I am looking at you Barth)
Could be more practical by the end but that's Lutherans for ya. (I am looking at you Barth)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews