The church in our post-Christendom era needs different models for conceptualizing its own identity and its relationship to the rest of society. Philip Kenneson sets forth a model that suggests that the church's role in contemporary society is to serve as a "contrast-society." In this model, the church is animated by a different spirit than that which animates "the world." Moreover, the "contrast-society" model has tremendous missional promise in that its embodied life in the world is its witness to the world. Kenneson acknowledges that this model is sometimes rejected by both Christians and non-Christians because it appears to be too "sectarian." He therefore asks, What are we claiming about a particular group when we call it sectarian? He argues that critics who regard a "contrast-society" church as sectarian often operate with untenable understandings of rationality, culture, politics, religion, and critique. In a concluding chapter, Kenneson offers reflections on how moving "beyond sectarianism" allows us to see afresh some of the missional promise of the church-as-contrast-society model. Philip D. Kenneson is Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Milligan College and author of Selling Out the Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"well-written...This book would be a helpful addition to any church leader's library...it would also be useful as introductory or supplemental material in the class room for church history, theology, or sociology."-- Lonnie R. Spencer, reviewing for Stone-Campbell Journal, Fall 2000 (Lonnie R. Spencer Stone-Campbell Journal )
"In this dynamic and succinct work, Philip Kenneson calls attention to one of the important questions facing Christians in our postmodern culture. How should Christians live, think, and do apologetics now that the church no longer enjoys privileged status? Kenneson's work may best be described as a handbook on doing theology from a postmodern, postliberal perspective." --David L. Phillips, Morton, Ill (David L. Phillips Restoration Quarterly )
"well-written...This book would be a helpful addition to any church leader's library...it would also be useful as introductory or supplemental material in the class room for church history, theology, or sociology."-- Lonnie R. Spencer, reviewing for Stone-Campbell Journal, Fall 2000 (, Stone-Campbell Journal )
"In this dynamic and succinct work, Philip Kenneson calls attention to one of the important questions facing Christians in our postmodern culture. How should Christians live, think, and do apologetics now that the church no longer enjoys privileged status? Kenneson's work may best be described as a handbook on doing theology from a postmodern, postliberal perspective." --David L. Phillips, Morton, Ill (, Restoration Quarterly )
"In this dynamic and succinct work, Philip Kenneson calls attention to one of the important questions facing Christians in our postmodern culture. How should Christians live, think, and do apologetics now that the church no longer enjoys privileged status? Kenneson's work may best be described as a handbook on doing theology from a postmodern, postliberal perspective." --David L. Phillips, Morton, Ill (David L. Phillips Restoration Quarterly )
"well-written...This book would be a helpful addition to any church leader's library...it would also be useful as introductory or supplemental material in the class room for church history, theology, or sociology."-- Lonnie R. Spencer, reviewing for Stone-Campbell Journal, Fall 2000 (, Stone-Campbell Journal )
"In this dynamic and succinct work, Philip Kenneson calls attention to one of the important questions facing Christians in our postmodern culture. How should Christians live, think, and do apologetics now that the church no longer enjoys privileged status? Kenneson's work may best be described as a handbook on doing theology from a postmodern, postliberal perspective." --David L. Phillips, Morton, Ill (, Restoration Quarterly )
From the Back Cover
The church in our post-Christendom era needs different models for conceptualizing its own identity and its relationship to the rest of society. Philip Kenneson sets forth a model that suggests that the church's role in contemporary society is to serve as a "contrast-society." In this model, the church is animated by a different spirit than that which animates "the world." Moreover, the "contrast-society" model has tremendous missional promise in that its embodied life in the world is its witness to the world.
Kenneson acknowledges that this model is sometimes rejected by both Christians and non-Christians because it appears to be too "sectarian." He therefore asks, What are we claiming about a particular group when we call it sectarian? He argues that critics who regard a "contrast-society" church as sectarian often operate with untenable understandings of rationality, culture, politics, religion, and critique.
In a concluding chapter, Kenneson offers reflections on how moving "beyond sectarianism" allows us to see afresh some of the missional promise of the church-as-contrast-society model.
Philip D. Kenneson is Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Milligan College and author of Selling Out the Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sends "The Sectarian Temptation" to the Dumpster!,
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This review is from: Beyond Sectarianism: Re-Imagining Church & World (Christian Mission & Modern Culture) (Paperback)
Phil Kenneson has done a marvellous job presenting a sorely needed argument against the 'sectarian' caricature of Christians seeking a distinctively *Christian* social witness. The mesmerising abstractions used to dismiss those persuaded or influenced by postliberal theology are thoroughly dealt with by Kenneson. He shows the genealogy of the 'sectarian' pejorative as well as the inconsistencies and 'performative contradictions' of those who hurl it - typically the more respectable 'sectarians' of secular modernity - but, in their own terms, 'sectarians' nonetheless! His book also provides a useful primer to the church as 'alternative community' or 'contrast society' argument. The bibliography contains helpful references to follow up. A great addition to a brilliant series - check out also, Barry Harvey's ANOTHER CITY and Jonathan Wilson's LIVING FAITHFULLY IN A FRAGMENTED WORLD in that series.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Informative... but kinda pointless.,
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This review is from: Beyond Sectarianism: Re-Imagining Church & World (Christian Mission & Modern Culture) (Paperback)
I am a big fan of Kenneson, and cannot recommend enough his other books "Selling out the Church" and "Life on the Vine." However, after reading this book, I'm still scratching my head wondering, "what was the point of this book." This brief yet difficult read is full of some very informative ideas, and is written very well. However, it seems like a waste to write a book which only serves to show us that it can indeed be a good thing to be labeled a "sect" by contemporary theologians, as well as in the circles of sociologists, political scientists, and in general, the world. Indeed, people ought not to simply dismiss something simply because it is labeled a "sect" or "cult." However, did a book really need to be written on this subject? If a community of individuals are truly embodying the narrative of the Scriptures, as Kenneson so hopes people will do, then should they not expect to have slanderous words hurled at them, and to be misunderstood? Kenneson states: "any attempt to put forward a constructive and positive sense of sectarianism will have to overcome the pejorative connotations that have accrued to the term over the years and that continue to accrue to it in its various contexts. Given this complicated and confused situation, perhaps Christians and non-Christians alike might eschew the language of sectarianism altogether, choosing instead to find other ways of describing what they find commendable or objectionable." (p 33) The above quote nicely summarizes what Kenneson tries to do in this book, and he formulates his argument very nicely. But there does seem to be a blind spot in it. Christ said those who would faithfully embody the gospel would indeed suffer persecution. So, why is Kenneson so shocked that Christian communities are dismissed for simply being the contrast-society Christ called them to be? Why write a book that essentially asks the world in essence to, 'pick other words to label us with'?
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