Going public : Christian responsibility in a divided America / Lawrence E. Adams.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Adams, Lawrence E., 1953-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Christianity and politics--United States.

Christianity and politics.

United States.

Christianity and culture--United States.

Christianity and culture.

Physical Description:

192 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Grand Rapids, Mich. : Brazos Press, [2002]

Summary:

The results of the 2000 presidential election dramatically illustrated a fact that came as no surprise: We the people of the United States are polarized -- politically 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?

Lawrence E. Adams thoughtfully and thoroughly addresses these questions in Going Public. He asks whether it is "necessary for American society to have some common public ethic, a widely-held 'public philosophy' and sense of the common good, in order to sustain civic public life, " and whether such a public philosophy is even possible. In light of the challenges facing the church today, he encourages it to understand the culture, not only so that it 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.

While specifically designed for clergy and church leaders, Going Public will be enjoyed by students, scholars, and all those interested in social ethics, political philosophy, Christianity and culture, and Christian thought.

Contents:

Introduction: Culture and Public Authority 9

Part 1 Public Life and Political Culture

1. Christian Resources for Public Life in the Twenty-First Century 21

2. The Historical Context: The Inheritance of the Christian Commonwealth and American Pluralism 39

3. The Search for a Common Public Philosophy in America 67

4. The Search for Common Identity, Morality, and Political Goals in America 83

Part 2 Public Life and the Church in the Twenty-First Century

5. Christian Public Philosophy and Theology at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century: Elements of Formation 101

6. Church-Shaping Culture and Culture-Shaping Church: The Possibilities for a Christian Formative Project in America 133

7. Obstacles and Opportunities for Christians in the Twenty-First Century 153.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 181-188) and index.

ISBN:

1587430304

OCLC:

48620345