InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network
Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times. Os Guinness. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Summary: Against the doomsayers speaking of the darkness of the times, Guinness remains hopeful for a spiritual and cultural renaissance in the west, rooted in the power of the Christian message; and he charts the tasks of faithful witness that precede this and the contours of such a renaissance.
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!). For this particular post, additional material from Urbana15 has been included. Earlier posts on the program: Ministry to Emerging Generations and The Big Picture of Ministry to Emerging Generations.
Despite the importance of the topic addressed by Os Guinness, I confess resisting “the call” to read Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014). One person shared with me that the publication was not “academic.” Another could not stop reading, re-reading (3x), and talking about the book in a manner which led me to believe that I had heard it all before. Lastly, I am not excited about advocating a return to the “Renaissance†for the Church, Christian culture/subculture, and/or “Christian” civilization. But required reading prompted me to order, read, and reflect upon Guinness’ short piece.
Despite my hesitancy, Guinness quickly engaged me with the big picture:
There is no shortage of analyses of the twin crises of the church and the West, but by themselves such analyses have too often led to despondency, fear and paralysis, just as medical diagnosis without remedies can be heartless and debilitating. What we also need is a constructive overarching vision of Christian engagement in today’s advanced modern world, one that is shaped by faith in God and a Christian perspective rather than by current wisdom, and one that can inspire Christians to move out with courage to confront the best and worst that we may encounter (27).
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