Going Public: Christian Responsibility in a Divided America [Paperback]

Lawrence E. Adams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

Examines the divided political ideas in current American Christianity and the church's role and responsibility in the public square.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A research fellow at the University of Virginia, Adams hopes to help Christian leaders structure their thinking and judgment in light of the current state of American secular culture. Using public opinion polls, he examines the influence of Christian leaders and the church on culture and vice versa. He analyzes culture, philosophy, and theology in public and political contexts, dividing the book into two parts: "Public Life and Political Culture" and "Public Life and the Church in the Twenty-First Century." He also discusses the historical context of America's formation from Anglican theology to the present perceived need to reform the church. The public opinion polls, related to general political and faith-based questions, relay a strong belief in God and a strong belief in individual freedom grounded in individual interests. Adams has written a text for Christian leaders, who minister within a "contrary and even antagonistic" culture, arguing that religion does make a difference on a local level but that adjustments will be needed to meet the expectations of a global society. This is a scholarly text for Christian leaders and informed laity. L. Kriz, West Des Moines P.L.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The results of the 2000 presidential election dramatically illustrated a fact that came as no surprise: We the people of the United States of America are polarizedópolitically and morally. Given this split, what is the public role of the church in our pluralistic society? How can the church have a voice in the public square despite the internal and external antagonism it often faces?

In Going Public, Lawrence Adams thoughtfully and thoroughly addresses these questions. He asks whether or not it is necessary for American society to have a public ethic and sense of the common good in order to sustain civic public life. Is such a public philosophy even possible? And if it is not, how does the church fulfill its public responsibilities?

Going Public encourages Christians to understand our culture not only so that we might fulfill the biblical mandate to understand the times in which we live but also to engage public life responsibly and in a manner true to the vocation of the church.

Lawrence E. Adams is program and research director of the Critical Incident Analysis Group at the University of Virginia. He also works with the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587430304
• ISBN-13: 978-1587430305
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,043,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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