Customer Reviews

How to Be Evangelical without Being Conservative

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How to be Evangelical without being Conservative by Roger Olson starts with great potential, by the end it becomes annoying. The early chapters deliver good analysis and reasoned challenges to the status quo of many American Evangelicals. By the end it feels a lot more like an axe-grinding polemic.

Olson's definition of Evangelical is traditional and accurate - so we're starting from a common point. His definition of Conservative is too much of a caricature - like a caricature it has a basis in fact, but is over-emphasized. His definition is true of a great many who are just afraid of change, yet Olson dismisses, or ignores the fact, that many Conservatives have actually looked at the options and made a rational choice...not just a longing to avoid change.

His arguments that Evangelicals should be biblical without orthodoxy as well as build character without moralism are good chapters. His main thesis in the former is that the church is not only reformata - reformed, but should so be semper reformanda - always reforming. Olson eschews what he calls "hardening of the categories" (pg. 33). In his attack on moralism Olson rightly points out that Evangelicals "have specialized in moralism toward society outside the church while neglecting church discipline" (pg. 48).

Olson is not afraid to take on some Evangelical sacred cows as he addresses the difference between patriotism vs. nationalism. Many of us can learn from his theses that American is not God's gift to the 20th Century, the "American way" is not tantamount to the Christian way; nor is Democracy or Capitalism any more biblical than other forms of government or economy. We should not "blend free market Capitalism with `God and the American way'" (pg. 131).

Though this is where Olson starts to grid his axes. He is right that we should not make Capitalism into some biblical doctrine. His definition of capitalism, though, is a thinly veiled and pejorative attack on the system. It too is a caricature, maybe even a straw man.

Olson also uses contradictory methods of applying Scripture; in one place saying that since the New Testaments church did not do "X" why should we? Then latter arguing that even though the Scriptures do not argue for governmental redistribution of wealth - Christian should support it. He makes some good points, but belabors them to the point of near incredulity.

He finishes the book with an argument for the role of women in leadership of churches in general and the position of pastor in specific. Here he ignores any biblical passages used by some to limit the position(s) to men. Instead he argues from an appeal to equality (which is poorly defined) and his own experience (even though elsewhere he maintains that experience must be secondary to Scripture). Here Olson relies too heavily on his subjective experience. It would have been much better had he engaged the Scriptures to advance his point.

So - after all is said and read I still recommend (the first-half of) the book. Even though the latter chapters become rather mediocre, Olson offers some very good challenges and alternatives to how we "do church" and how we are "Christians."

A couple years ago I had a conversation with a UM pastor who was expressing his frustration with "evangelical" churches. I listened for a while and agreed with him on much of what he had to say...but then reminded him that in our Book of Discipline, the UMC is referred to as an "Evangelical" Church. His concept of "evangelical" had become associated with the far right-wing; anti-woman; literalistic; conservative politically; version of what much of our media labels as "evangelical."

I began to wonder, myself, what is the "real definition" of "Evangelical" as understood by our Book of Discipline. I felt it was important that we "re-capture" that term for our denomination and it's original meaning...but didn't quite know how to do it.

While I was at the Jurisdictional CORR meeting...I discovered a book on the Cokesbury table entitled: "How to be Evangelical Without Being Conservative" by Roger E. Olson. I bought it...and just finished it. It was an amazingly helpful book in describing our roots as an Evangelical denomination while differentiating us from the far right-wing political agenda which is often associated with the word "evangelical."

It is an historical reminder of where the term "Evangelical" came from. It gives the historic 5 characteristics of our original "Evangelical" faith and explains in detail how that differs from what is often described as
"evangelical" in today's culture and media.

With chapter titles like: "Being Biblical without Orthodoxy"...it gives the original perspective of why Wesley could state that "orthodoxy has little to do with true religion of the heart". Other chapters are entitled "Celebrating America without Nationalism"..."Taking the Bible Seriously Without Literalism"..."Transforming Culture Without Domination"...."Updating Without Trivializing Worship"..."Accepting Without Affirming Flawed People"..."Practicing Equality Without Sacrificing Difference"...."Redistributing Wealth without Socialism" etc. And the conclusion entitled: "Toward a Postconservative Evangelicalism".

This book helped to identify, for me, the original meaning of "Evangelical" and re-define where we as United Methodists find our roots. Needless to say...it was very helpful. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to re-discover our "Evangelical" roots and re-capture it's original meaning from the far right-wing political agenda.

For instance....in the chapter on "Redistributing Wealth without Socialism" I was reminded how our original Evangelical roots were solidly on the side of "the poor" and how the cries of "socialism" that we hear from the far right against universal healthcare; graduated tax system, etc. are really more a result of far-right, laissez-faire capitalism political agendas rather than having roots in evangelical history.

You may not agree with everything that is said.....but it is one of the best books I've read lately. I believe it will help us re-discover our Evangelical heritage in the United Methodist Church.

Rev. Gary E. Holdeman
Enid District Superintendent
The Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 5024
Enid, OK 73702

The title was enough to get me to buy and read this book, and Olson makes a good case that evangelical need not be equivalent with the ideals of the religious right. I don't agree with everything Olson says, but he does the evangelical movement a service by showing how being evangelical is not the same as being "conservative".

We live in a time when it is not fashionable to have strong opinions or convictions concerning things that are labeled as conservative. This book is another of a current list of books being released and promoted, aimed directly at the not easily defined but all too easily subjected to name calling, conservative movement. When it comes to broad generalizations of conservatives, this book does not disappoint. The lead thought in every chapter is some disparaging characterization of conservative evangelicals. Things like "Conservative evangelicals have not come very far..." (p171) "Conservative evangelicals are notorious for lapsing a couple of decades or more behind everyone else when it comes to accepting behaviors as normal."(p.175) When I consider all that the faith community has lead the charge on through the centuries, I am convinced that Olson is more interested in slaying the caricature that is often advanced by a media empire that finds Christianity to be at odds with the world view it owns and promotes. As one looks at societal norms, maybe there is an argument to be made that embracing change is not always the wisest response.

Fundamentally, I just find myself not agreeing with Olson's positions. That is the long and short of it. His solutions seem to me to be warmed over government interventionism and intrusion. Have the government take money from everyone through taxation and then redistribute it as the government assesses the greater needs. I am sorry, but that strikes me as ill-advised. Giving the government more reach and more money is the action of a hopeless optimist. There are real problems facing us as a people and they do deserve a theological framework in which to discuss them. But offering tired solutions from the last sixty years that have failed time and time again strikes me as not being a bold step forward but rather maintaining the status-quo.

Olson betrays his own bias with a simple definitional proposal for free market, free enterprise system and capitalism, "... the desire to gain wealth by investing money in enterprises that will take money away from people..." (p.129-130) Maybe a better definition would be to take a risk to build an enterprise that will meet a need in society that will be able to satisfy a consumer's desire for that good or service. Olson seems to imply that taking money away from a person for a product at a profit is less noble. I suppose it is okay to take thousands of dollars a semester from students (actually parents) in exchange for an education that is fraught with personal opinions and not so subtle personal agendas.

If you have strong feelings that being conservative is basically a mask for meanness and a heart of stone then you will love this book. If you enjoy the broad stroke smearing of people who hold to a conservative position then you will want this book in your library. If on the other hand, you find yourself trying to adhere to a political and theological framework that is conservative you will find this book less than satisfying. Either way these books are written to bolster positions already held and rarely succeed in changing minds and attitudes. These types of books must be read, on the outside chance that there really is some fresh new insight, but unfortunately this one failed to deliver.

An excellent book by Olson. Increasing numbers of "evangelicals" are expressing the sentiments Olson shares in this book, and it's great to have a great mind speak them here. It warms a person's heart when more and more Christians are being moved to authentically follow Christ and the written Word rather than the dread establishment, namely the Religious Right. For those of us who are serious both about the historic faith and living out said faith, Olson's book is a welcome beginning.

We live in a time when the conflation of "evangelical" and "politically conservative" seems never to stop, both with the media but also with many within the evangelical church itself. All too often some evangelicals get so caught up with a very specific, right wing political point of view that they equate anyone not in agreement with them as probably not Christian at all. It seems as though the most materialistic, rationalistic, humanistic agnostic who agrees with their political philosophies is more welcomed into the friendship and fellowship of many of these Christians than fellow believers in the Gospel who may differ in governmental or economic systems. This should not be, if the Gospel truly is at the heart of the believer's life and mission.

This is the situation that Olson addresses in How to Be Evangelical without Being Conservative, and his willingness to raise the issues involved is commendable. However, as another reviewer has noted, the book progressively becomes less objective and more judgmental, to the point that his end chapters seem as hard-line in political philosophy as those he is addressing, just from the other end of the spectrum. Nowhere is this more evident than in his section on the differences between "egalitarians" and "complementarians" regarding women's role in the churches. While this is a difficult area for many Christians, his broad brush comments seem to stereotype all those who have not yet fully moved to the egalitarian position, even--very unfairly I think--equating those who disagree with his view as being equivalent to a racist position (p 189).

There is one more area of the book that warrants caution and that leads to my having given this only 3 stars. While Olson includes caveats and conditions, he still seems more "open" to open theism than most evangelicals might be, even those in agreement with his other points. Addressing the linking specific political and economic positions with Christianity is good, but to espouse shifting theological positions just because of the changing culture raises some different issues that could be of concern. In fact, this part of the book almost sounded like the arguments he used to support consideration of open theology as valid could be the same ones that some on the right might use to defend their elevation of democracy and capitalism as a specific "Christian" position.

Given my misgivings in these few areas, I still believe the book deserves to be read and considered by all thoughtful evangelicals. Be aware of the stridency that starts to slip in near the end and consider carefully the theological wavering that might be apparent in the open theism sections, but don't miss the key message--mixing the Gospel with specific economic and political positions is neither Biblical nor evangelical.

"How to be Evangelical Without Being Conservative" is a good book and I recommend it, especially to those who believe that conservatism and evangelicalism are directed linked together.

The author is very open about his own background and his own questions and concerns. I appreciate his honesty and his ability to open himself to the attacks he will receive for asking "those kind of questions."


This book raises many excellent questions, and while I do not agree with all that is put forth, I do believe the issues highlighted are important and NEED to be discussed within Christian churches. Christians should not be afraid of deep and hard questions, and we all need to ponder how Christians should interact with the world to be effective salt and light, as well as keeping ourselves unstained by the world.

Too often in the world evangelicals have been "played" by politicians and have ended up being used. Christians need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. This book, "How to be Evangelical Without Being Conservative" can help us to be all that God calls us to be.

This book would serve well as a discussion starter in an adult class at church.

I can not match the succinct eloquence of Bill Wood's review of this book. I will thought bring to your attention a single phrase [page 130 in the chapter: Redistributing Wealth without Socialism] that supports the position that the author Roger Olsen has a political axe to grind and does it so very blatantly. That phrase is the author's definition of "free market system/ free enterprise system/capitalism" as being "....an economy driven by the desire to gain wealth by investing money in enterprises that will TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM PEOPLE by selling them products at a higher price than their actual cost..." [all caps mine]
I would ask the author if he can name where "people" can get a job from a poor person? If you don't make more than the cost of your product or service, then you will not exist. I held great hopes from the book, except I would prefered a title: "How to be a Conservative without being an Evangelical", but the politically infected book was shameful to the premise being advertised. Yep, read it to know what is being said, but use careful judgment in being guided by it.