Christianity in the Twenty-first Century: Reflections on the Challenges Ahead - Softcover

Wuthnow, Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195096517 ISBN 13: 9780195096514

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1995

Synopsis

In the year 2000--and beyond--what will the church be like? What challenges will it face? Will the church be able to provide a strong sense of community? Will it be an ethical force in the lives of Americans? And what role will religion play in politics and in the marketplace?
In Christianity in the 21st Century Robert Wuthnow reflects on these provocative questions as he seeks to identify changes that are taking place now in American society that churches must address if they are to remain vital in the future. He foresees five critical areas--institutional, ethical, doctrinal, political, and cultural--in which major challenges will arise, then meets the thorny issues head-on. How will churches' resource bases, their very identity, and their capacity to carry on their spiritual traditions be altered? till they continue to function as sources of caring in a needy world? What impact will the resurgence of fundamentalism have, and how will moderate and liberal congregations react? How will the political activities of churches influence their capacity to be heard in the public arena, and what will the impact be of pluralism and the prevailing materialism of our society?
Drawing on a wide range of first-hand observations and research, Wuthnow demontrates that in each of these five areas people of faith have strong reasons to enter the next century with confidence in their religious institutions. But he also highlights worrisome signs, and points to specific areas that need to be addressed to ensure the continuing vitality for Christianity in America--not least among these are the rampant individualism that erodes spiritual communities and the religious infighting that diminishes the Christian sense of unity.
The onset of a new millennium affords a historic opportunity to take stock of the present situation and to plan for the future--in the years ahead, much reflection is likely to occur about all our major institutions. Christianity in the 21st Century aims to contribute to those reflections by offering a sobering, realistic, and ultimately hopeful assessment of where the church is now, and where the church is headed.

About this title

About the Author

Robert Wuthnow is Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor of Social Sciences and Director of the Center for the Study of American Religion at Princeton University. He is the author of ten books, including Rediscovering the Sacred, Acts of Compassion, and The Restructuring of American Religion.

From Kirkus Reviews

Wuthnow (Social Sciences/Princeton), usually an elegant chronicler of social trends (Acts of Compassion, 1991, etc.), stumbles with this dull look at the future of the church. Part of the problem is Wuthnow's too-narrow focus. Instead of fulfilling the title's promise, he writes almost exclusively about American Protestantism, which represents only a small segment of Christianity; moreover, within this limited range, he spends much of his time clucking over the collapse of liberal churches (with which he identifies) and the groundswell of fundamentalism. His predictions seem on target, perhaps because they're unsurprising: Fundamentalism will move away from televangelism toward decentralized, social-oriented service (as Jerry Falwell has already done); American youth will suffer from a lack of decent role models, with cartoon superheroes taking the place once reserved for the local pastor; Christian denominations will continue to proliferate, with worshippers hopping between various churches; Christianity as a whole must continue to find its strength in community. These prophecies are scattered throughout the book, as are several intriguing themes that, more clearly presented, might have made compelling studies on their own: One is the importance of narrative in shaping our religious and ethical lives; another is the way in which liberal analysts--Wuthnow singles out Bishop John Spong--have misread fundamentalism, which the author sees as a ``dynamic process'' with its own ``cultural capital'' rather than as simply a reaction to modernity. In the course of his research, Wuthnow interviewed numerous church members and ministers; their comments add color to the discussion, but do little to overcome the overall vagueness. A very cloudy crystal ball. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0195096517
• ISBN 13: 9780195096514
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272