In his book, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World, James Davison Hunter—through a series of three essays—urges Christians toward an alternative understanding of what it means to change the world.
The first essay, Christianity and World Changing, sets the stage with the premise of the creation mandate; namely, God created humankind in God’s image, so humankind must reflect this image by engaging with society and changing the world for the better. Although Christians desire to change the world, they are doomed to failure due to a flawed understanding of culture and how it changes. Hunter terms this “flawed view” the common view, which holds that culture is changed through various spiritual (evangelistic), political and social tactics. This common view, sounding in idealism and individualism, posits that if positive cultural change is not achieved it is because the change agent is simply not working hard enough at achieving the change. According to Hunter, the common view will fail because its strategies do not account for the complex nature of culture. For this reason, Hunter espouses an alternative view of culture and cultural change.
Hunter’s alternative view sets forth seven propositions about culture: (1) culture is a system of truth claims and moral obligations; (2) culture is a product of history; (3) culture is intrinsically dialectical; (4) culture is a resource and a form of power; (5) cultural production and symbolic capital are stratified in a fairly rigid structure of center and periphery; (6) culture is generated within networks; and (7) culture is neither autonomous nor fully coherent. Further, the alternative view asserts four propositions about cultural change: (1) cultures change from the top down and rarely from the bottom up; (2) change is typically initiated by elites who are outside of the centermost positions of prestige; (3) world-changing is most concentrated when the networks of elites and the institutions they lead overlap; and (4) cultures change, but rarely if ever without a fight. To determine the validity of these eleven propositions, Hunter examines significant cultural changes that occurred throughout human history. Namely, Hunter examines the Christianization of pagan Rome, the Carolingian Renaissance, the Reformation and various successor movements, including the Great Awakening, abolitionism, and even—outside of Christianity—the Enlightenment. In analyzing these propositions, as illustrated throughout history, Hunter concludes that the propositions of the alternative view account for how culture changes. Further, Hunter finds that modern American Christianity, as currently postured, will have doubtful cultural influence due to its adherence to the common view of cultural change and its ineffective strategies.
In the second essay, Rethinking Power, Hunter discusses the various perceptions of power in American culture. He examines three distinguishable political theologies—that of the Christian Right, the Christian Left, and the Neo-Anabaptists—and challenges the teachings of each of their leaders, including, for example, James Dobson, Charles Colson, Jim Wallis, John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas. He refers to these theologies as “competing myths” that lead to division among Christians. Additionally, Hunter asserts that many Christians have assimilated to the dominant culture’s understanding of the role of politics in culture and cultural change but concludes that political strategies are not the answer to the world’s problems. Hunter proposes that it is necessary to rethink the Christian understanding of power. Specifically, Christians must detangle the politicization of power and understand it as the social power of Jesus. With an appropriate understanding of the creation mandate, power must be used as God intended and Jesus used it—“to bless, unburden, serve, heal, mend, restore, and liberate” (193). That is, power should not be seen in political and economic terms, as modern Christians tend to view it, but in terms of the culture-changing influence of a life lived faithfully as Christ lived.
Finally, in the third essay, Toward a New City Commons: Reflections on a Theology of Faithful Presence, Hunter urges readers toward an alternate way of engaging in culture, using the social power of Jesus, which he terms a theology of faithful presence that “calls believers to yield their will to God and to nurture and cultivate the world where God has placed them” (253). Hunter juxtaposes this calling to faithful presence with living in a pluralistic society and endeavors to address the question of how a Christian should live out faithfulness in such a society. To this end, Hunter examines—and subsequently discounts as inadequate—three paradigms of cultural engagement: (1) defensive against (embraced by conservatives); (2) relevance to (embraced by progressives); and (3) purity from (embraced by neo-Anabaptists). Hunter also finds that political strategies are wholly ineffective in helping Christians effectively engage in society. In advocating for the theology of faithful presence, Hunter states that this theology is a commitment to a new city commons that “calls Christians to enact the shalom of God in the circumstances in which God has placed them and to actively seek it on behalf of others” (278). That is, the creation mandate really is not about changing the world; it is about living in a way that enables others to grow and prosper in their relationship with God. Christians do not practice faithful presence through ineffectual efforts directed publicly toward legal, political or policy matters; rather, this practice of faithful presence must become evident in Christians’ personal and professional lives, manifesting itself in the discipling of others.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
 |
Frequently bought together
- +
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
The book arrived in the time it was promised BUT the slip cover had grease or something on it and the book itself and slip cover were bent. I take very good care of my books (a bit OCD!) to make sure these kinds of things don’t happen and I’m actually debating returning it. I didn’t but it used for this exact reason. Paying full price I should get a perfectly crisp and clean book!
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Eleanor Stoneham
Faithful Presence
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 21, 2010
Allan Liddell
... previously written work Raises more questions than answers so good for creating discussion
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 20, 2015Craig Calhoun
Original and Important.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 6, 2015
