Being Christian after Christendom: Where Are We? How Did We Get Here? What Went Wrong? What Is the Solution?
Ebook
The social landscape has radically changed over the past fifty years. Christians were once respected, sought out, and trusted. Now we are blamed, marginalized, and viewed with suspicion. In this book, David Rietveld explains what, how, and why this has happened, in a way that the average person can understand. He begins with Christendom, where both Christians and non-Christian held shared beliefs and values. He explains the church's role, and how evangelism and discipleship worked in that era. He then tracks the changes that have occurred and clarifies what and why things are now different. Insightful, broad explanations are illustrated by real-life examples, and woven together so that readers can see the patterns in the new twenty-first-century Western landscape. If you are seeking a thoughtful overview of what is going on in our world and how this relates to being a Christian in a local church, this book is a great introduction.
“For anyone who is passionate about their faith and loves the church, this book is priceless reading. It addressed my troubling questions: How did we get to here, and how do we rethink our mission with wonderful clarity?”
—Tim Costello, former CEO, World Vision Australia
“What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in cultures that desire freedom, tolerance, and autonomy but reject the very gospel that gave birth to these values? David Rietveld steers us through the profound sociological changes that are leading to a post-Christian view of the world in a way that is clear, accessible, warm, and good-humored.”
—David Williams, director of training and development, Church Missionary Society of Australia
“This book is a sobering, yet rewarding and meaningful hike through the reality of cultural change in our time and its impact on Christianity. We are invited to put on our biblically shaped glasses and navigate theological, historical, and philosophical contours of life in an accessible, conversational style. I recommend this book in particular to all Christian educators who seek to best relate, understand, and nurture the students in their care in this time of history.”
—Michelle Dempsey, CEO, Christian Education National
- Title: Being Christian after Christendom: Where Are We? How Did We Get Here? What Went Wrong? What Is the Solution?
- Authors: David Rietveld, Stuart Piggin
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2023
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781666763003, 9781666762983, 1666762989, 9781666762990, 1666762997, 1666763004
- Resource ID: LLS:9781666763003
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-04-25T09:59:59Z
David Rietveld has worked in local church ministry for thirty years, across three Australian states, in three denominations. On the weekend, he still plays for the local pub soccer team, and discusses life with his secular teammates after the game over a beer. David is married and has raised four adult children. David gets the radical social change we are experiencing. He combines his coal-face ministry and life experience with insights from sociology, history, philosophy, and theology in this interdisciplinary book.