As part of his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Ministry to Emerging Generations (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary), Tom’s written a number of book responses and given several short presentations (personal and group). In this series he not only “shares the wealth,” but also looks forward to your feedback as he refines his project: An argument for vocational discernment for graduate studies in the context of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (Stay tuned to learn more!). Earlier posts on the program: Ministry to Emerging Generations and The Big Picture of Ministry to Emerging Generations.
Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church
In Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2008), Michael Horton stands against Satan’s active opposition to the true and clear proclamation of the Gospel in the United States of America. The American church’s obsession with “being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps even well liked†leads to a “Christless Christianity†with a diet of “do more, work harder†mirroring the world (16-17). God becomes understood as “a supporting character in our own life movie†rather than individuals becoming “new characters in God’s drama of redemption†(18). I concur with Horton’s frustrations and the assessment that many “Christians†embrace and live out the American Dream more than the Christian faith (21). Furthermore, the concern “is not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal but that it is becoming theologically vacuous†(italics in original, 23). Can one chart a course not only for growth in general, but also for depth through cross-bearing in all aspects of life sustained by God through the church and not individuals through self-feeding (228, 253)?
[Read more…] about Book Response: Christless Christianity, by Michael Horton