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librarypatron's review
5.0
Each chapter offers such a different angle or perspective on the question of evangelicalism. Though it was written in 2018 (and a bizarrely high amount of things have changed in the last five years), the thoughts within still left me with an ache and conviction. The state of American evangelicalism is necessarily changing, and anyone seriously engaged in their Christian faith would do well to read this book, both as a refresher of our heritage and a call to better represent that “good news” root of the word.
lindseybkoehler's review
4.0
I really enjoyed all chapters except for 10, written by Jim Daly of Focus on the Family. It read more like an advertisement for FOTF & James Dobson, the founder. Aside from that, I thought everyone contributed excellently to this book & really expanded my views. I was considering leaving Evangelicalism & this book found me at exactly the right time.
adamrshields's review
4.0
Short Review: Still Evangelical is worth reading. Part of why it is worth reading is that it is well balanced and actually has as many women and minority authors as White males. And for this discussion that matters. I mentioned each of the chapters in my full review, but the best chapters is Allen Yeh's chapter, which while about more than just this, is about the importance of retaining the orthodoxy we have while adopting a greater focus on orthopraxy. Mark Galli's chapter was most frustrating for me, but I think that it was also a necessary chapter as being the most standard critique of the state of Evangelicalism (not paying enough attention to the non-elites and roughly parallel argument for economic and cultural anxiety as the reasons people voted for Trump).
There were many other chapters that were also quite good. Roughly the line of argument throughout the book is that Evangelicalism as a group matters, that it is a worldwide movement and that the critique of the term in the US doesn't listen enough to those outside the US, or the term's history. But that there is a reason for the critique inside the US.
I really was not incredibly interested in this discussion and was planning on skipping the book. But I picked it up mostly because of Karen Swallow Prior talking about it positively. I gave it a chance and it was much better and more helpful than I expected it to be.
My full review is on my blog (about 1500 words) at http://bookwi.se/still-evangelical/
There were many other chapters that were also quite good. Roughly the line of argument throughout the book is that Evangelicalism as a group matters, that it is a worldwide movement and that the critique of the term in the US doesn't listen enough to those outside the US, or the term's history. But that there is a reason for the critique inside the US.
I really was not incredibly interested in this discussion and was planning on skipping the book. But I picked it up mostly because of Karen Swallow Prior talking about it positively. I gave it a chance and it was much better and more helpful than I expected it to be.
My full review is on my blog (about 1500 words) at http://bookwi.se/still-evangelical/
drbobcornwall's review
4.0
I am a graduate of the one of the largest evangelical seminaries (Fuller), having both the M.Div. and PhD. I value the education I received and the professors I studied with. The question is, do I consider myself an evangelical? I probably don't fit into the Evangelical box anymore, but it is part of me, like my Pentecostal and Anglican pieces. In recent years, especially in the aftermath of the Trump election, and the news that some 81% of self-described white evangelicals voted for him and largely support him despite his immoral life and bigoted views. These facts have led to many who have called themselves evangelicals to rethink what that means. In other words, there has been a lot of soul-searching. As for me, I grieve over what has become of my former tribe.
It is with interest that I read "Still Evangelical," which is edited by the current president of Fuller Seminary. The book features eleven essays by persons who self-identify as evangelicals. While there is a theological component to evangelicalism, Labberton admits that the lines dividing evangelical/non-evangelical are as much sociological and ideological as they are theological. What is often forgotten, and is revealed in the diversity of essays, is that evangelicalism is more than a white phenomenon. Many who hold to evangelical theological beliefs, and thus are within the tent, are black, Asian, or Latinx. Unfortunately, their voices are often ignored or suppressed. So, what makes one an evangelical? The essayists often refer to the Bebbington Quadrilateral, a four point description of evangelicalism developed by British church historian David Bebbington. This quadrilateral includes, biblicism, crucicentrism (centrality of the cross), conversionism, and activism. The latter refers to the commitment to evangelism, but also the Great Commandment, and these are undertaken with an entrepreneurial spirit, that has birthed a myriad of efforts. There is a flexibility and pragmatism organizationally that is less present in Mainline Protestantism.
The question then concerns whether one still wishes to be considered an evangelical and what that means? What is interesting to me about the essays, is that I found the essays written by women and persons of color (non-white males), to be the most compelling and helpful. It is these essays that raise concerns about the racism and bigotry that still inhabits evangelical circles. The essays written by white males, by and large, were not all that interesting. Shane Claiborne raised the question of whether the word evangelical may need to be abandoned, but he is numbered among the so-called progressive evangelicals, many of whom have simply left the fold (eg Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Rachel Held Evans, and Rob Bell).
Perhaps I am numbered among that group as well.
So, essays by Lisa Sharon Harper, an African American woman, Robert Chao Romero, a Latino professor of Chicano studies, Soong-Chan Rah (Asian-American), Allen Yeh (Asian American), Sandra Maria Van Opstal (Latinx woman), and Tom Lin (Asian American), all raise important issues about social justice, racism, and the continuing dominance of white males.
Consider this word from Sandra Van Opstal, a second-generation Latina whose parents immigrated from Columbia and Argentina. Despite being "born again" in a Southern Baptist church, "discipled in an evangelical parachurch movement, and trained in an Evangelical Free seminary," she notes that you would think she would have no problem identifying with evangelicalism. It is her theological foundation, her place of spiritual re-birth, and yet she struggles with this self-identification. She writes "It's not that I can't include myself with evangelicals. Rather, evangelicals have not sought to include me." (p. 123). This is in part a reality of being a Latina (born of immigrant parents and thus an outsider) but also of being a woman. She stays, however, in the hope that she can contribute to the reformation of the movement. I should note that the publisher of this book, InterVarsity Press, has done an excellent job of publishing non-white authors.
It is difficult to take note of all of the contributions, so let me say that this is worth reading, both for evangelicals and for non-evangelicals. For my non-evangelical friends who speak with derision of evangelicalism as a racist movement, this might help understand the diversity that makes up the movement. For the most part, non-white evangelicals don't support Donald Trump, even if their theology is conservative. It is also important to note, as Allen Yeh points out, evangelicalism is a global movement. At the same time many majority world evangelicals are wondering what is happening here in the United States. Thus, he advises evangelicals in the Weste to balance concern for orthodoxy with orthopraxis (right action).
I was a bit hesitant to pick up the book, in part fearful that it would simply be a defense of the status quo. Instead, I found a lot of self-criticism. You even get the sense that there is increasing openness to LGBT folks, or at the very least, recognition of the problem of homophobia. They may, for the most part, not be ready to move toward full inclusion, but here and there I saw signs of a slight opening. It is, therefore, worth reading.
It is with interest that I read "Still Evangelical," which is edited by the current president of Fuller Seminary. The book features eleven essays by persons who self-identify as evangelicals. While there is a theological component to evangelicalism, Labberton admits that the lines dividing evangelical/non-evangelical are as much sociological and ideological as they are theological. What is often forgotten, and is revealed in the diversity of essays, is that evangelicalism is more than a white phenomenon. Many who hold to evangelical theological beliefs, and thus are within the tent, are black, Asian, or Latinx. Unfortunately, their voices are often ignored or suppressed. So, what makes one an evangelical? The essayists often refer to the Bebbington Quadrilateral, a four point description of evangelicalism developed by British church historian David Bebbington. This quadrilateral includes, biblicism, crucicentrism (centrality of the cross), conversionism, and activism. The latter refers to the commitment to evangelism, but also the Great Commandment, and these are undertaken with an entrepreneurial spirit, that has birthed a myriad of efforts. There is a flexibility and pragmatism organizationally that is less present in Mainline Protestantism.
The question then concerns whether one still wishes to be considered an evangelical and what that means? What is interesting to me about the essays, is that I found the essays written by women and persons of color (non-white males), to be the most compelling and helpful. It is these essays that raise concerns about the racism and bigotry that still inhabits evangelical circles. The essays written by white males, by and large, were not all that interesting. Shane Claiborne raised the question of whether the word evangelical may need to be abandoned, but he is numbered among the so-called progressive evangelicals, many of whom have simply left the fold (eg Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, Rachel Held Evans, and Rob Bell).
Perhaps I am numbered among that group as well.
So, essays by Lisa Sharon Harper, an African American woman, Robert Chao Romero, a Latino professor of Chicano studies, Soong-Chan Rah (Asian-American), Allen Yeh (Asian American), Sandra Maria Van Opstal (Latinx woman), and Tom Lin (Asian American), all raise important issues about social justice, racism, and the continuing dominance of white males.
Consider this word from Sandra Van Opstal, a second-generation Latina whose parents immigrated from Columbia and Argentina. Despite being "born again" in a Southern Baptist church, "discipled in an evangelical parachurch movement, and trained in an Evangelical Free seminary," she notes that you would think she would have no problem identifying with evangelicalism. It is her theological foundation, her place of spiritual re-birth, and yet she struggles with this self-identification. She writes "It's not that I can't include myself with evangelicals. Rather, evangelicals have not sought to include me." (p. 123). This is in part a reality of being a Latina (born of immigrant parents and thus an outsider) but also of being a woman. She stays, however, in the hope that she can contribute to the reformation of the movement. I should note that the publisher of this book, InterVarsity Press, has done an excellent job of publishing non-white authors.
It is difficult to take note of all of the contributions, so let me say that this is worth reading, both for evangelicals and for non-evangelicals. For my non-evangelical friends who speak with derision of evangelicalism as a racist movement, this might help understand the diversity that makes up the movement. For the most part, non-white evangelicals don't support Donald Trump, even if their theology is conservative. It is also important to note, as Allen Yeh points out, evangelicalism is a global movement. At the same time many majority world evangelicals are wondering what is happening here in the United States. Thus, he advises evangelicals in the Weste to balance concern for orthodoxy with orthopraxis (right action).
I was a bit hesitant to pick up the book, in part fearful that it would simply be a defense of the status quo. Instead, I found a lot of self-criticism. You even get the sense that there is increasing openness to LGBT folks, or at the very least, recognition of the problem of homophobia. They may, for the most part, not be ready to move toward full inclusion, but here and there I saw signs of a slight opening. It is, therefore, worth reading.
babyfacedoldsoul's review
4.0
It was helpful to read a collection of essays written after the 2016 election. I didnt agree with everyone (not surprising, I did not finish the chapters by the person from Biola or Focus on the Family) but appreciated this collection of contemporary thoughts.
shansometimes's review
3.0
I liked the idea behind this book more than this book. This is a hot topic and one that is worthy of examination. Many of the writers made very good points but I found myself primarily bored and uninspired by most of the essays.
*This review is based on a free digital advance copy provided by the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.
*This review is based on a free digital advance copy provided by the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.
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