“To change hearts and minds” has been the goal of modern Christians seeking to correct a culture deemed fallen and morally lax. Hunter (Culture Wars
), a distinguished professor of religion, culture, and social theory at the University of Virginia, finds this approach pervasive among Christians of all stripes and in every case deeply flawed. It can even “undermine the message of the very gospel they cherish and desire to advance.” In three “essays”—groups of chapters developing a concept—Hunter charts the history of Christian assumptions and efforts, investigates the nature of power and politics in Christian life and thought, and then proposes a theologically sound alternative: what he calls the practice of “faithful presence.” This practice has “benevolent consequences... precisely because it is not
rooted in a desire to change the world... but rather it is an expression of a desire to honor the creator of all goodness, beauty, and truth.” Well reasoned and thought provoking, Hunter’s corrective argument for authentic Christian engagement with the world is refreshing, persuasive, and inspiring. (Apr.)
