Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart

by Christena Cleveland

Publisher:

IVP

, 2013

Overview

Leadership Journal Book Award

Readers’ Choice Awards Honorable Mention

Despite Jesus’ prayer that all Christians “be one,” divisions have been epidemic in the body of Christ from the beginning to the present. We cluster in theological groups, gender groups, age groups, ethnic groups, educational and economic groups. We criticize freely those who disagree with us, don’t look like us, don’t act like us and don't even like what we like.

Though we may think we know why this happens, Christena Cleveland says we probably don’t. In this eye-opening book, learn the hidden reasons behind conflict and divisions. Learn:

Why I think all my friends are unique but those in other groups are all the same

Why little differences often become big sources of conflict

Why categorizing others is often automatic and helpful but can also have sinister side effects

Why we are so often victims of groupthink and how we can avoid it

Why women think men are judging them more negatively than men actually are, and vice versa

Why choices of language can actually affect unity

With a personal touch and the trained eye of a social psychologist, Cleveland brings to bear the latest studies and research on the unseen dynamics at work that tend to separate us from others. Learn why Christians who have a heart for unity have such a hard time actually uniting. The author provides real insight for ministry leaders who have attempted to build bridges across boundaries.

Here are the tools we need to understand how we can overcome the hidden forces that divide us.

Key Features

• Explains the reasons behind conflict and divisions.
• Explores why choices of language can actually affect unity.
• Shows why Christians have such a hard time actually uniting.

Praise for the Print Edition

Disunity in Christ is an honest and sophisticated account of the disunity within the Christian community. Highlighting social-psychological principles backed by a large body of scientific research, Cleveland both explains why human nature allows--perhaps even facilitates--this disunity, and outlines steps for overcoming it. The book is unapologetically hopeful and insightful. It emphasizes Christ’s underlying message of unity in a down-to-earth, heartwarming and easily accessible way. Readers can experience a sense of fellowship with the author as they relate to her experiences. The refreshing insights within each chapter and the thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter make this book an excellent discussion starter and a wonderful teaching tool.

-Carmel Saad, assistant professor of psychology, Westmont College

Weaving together research from social psychology with engaging--and sometimes hilarious!--stories from her own life, Christena Cleveland has given us a unique and important work on a matter of extreme importance. Written with a clarity and style that is accessible to all, this marvelous book is as informative as it is practical, as challenging as it is entertaining, and as insightful as it is fun (yes, a book on reconciliation that is fun!). Every Christian concerned about reconciliation in the church--and all Christians should be--will benefit from reading Disunity in Christ.

-Greg Boyd, senior pastor, Woodland Hills Church, Maplewood, Minnesota

If you are concerned about healing the schisms within Christianity--or for that matter, between Christians and non-Christians--this is the book for you. Clearheaded, well written and funny, it is a serious attempt to do something important.

-T. M. Luhrmann, Stanford University, author of When God Talks Back

Product Details

• Title: Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart
• Author: Christena Cleveland
• Publisher: IVP
• Print Publication Date: 2013
• Logos Release Date: 2023
• Pages: 220
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: Church › Unity; Church controversies
• ISBNs: 9780830864959, 9780830844036, 0830864954, 0830844031
• Resource ID: LLS:9780830864959
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-06T20:49:00Z

About Christena Cleveland

Christena Cleveland (Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara) is a social psychologist who teaches at St. Catherine University. She is an award-winning researcher and gifted teacher who brings organizational experience to her efforts to build unity. She consults with pastors and organizational leaders on multicultural issues and speaks regularly at organizations, churches, conferences, universities and schools.