A Faith of Our Own
By Jonathan Merritt
- Release Date: 2012-05-08
- Genre: Christianity
Description
Every day, major headlines tell the story of how Christianity is attempting to influence American culture and politics. But statistics show that young Americans are disenchanted with a faith that has become culturally antagonistic and too closely aligned with partisan politics. In this personal yet practical work, Jonathan Merritt uncovers the changing face of American Christianity by uniquely examining the coming of age of a new generation of Christians.
Jonathan Merritt illuminates the spiritual ethos of this new generation of believers who engage the world with Christ-centered faith but an un-polarized political perspective. Through personal stories and biblically rooted commentary this scion of a leading evangelical family takes a close, thoughtful look at the changing religious and political environment, addressing such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage, environmental use and care, race, war, poverty, and the imbalance of world wealth. Through Scripture, the examples of Jesus, and personal defining faith experiences, he distills the essential truths at the core of a Christian faith that is now just coming of age.
Reviews
What is the future of American Christianity?
5By Johnny Von RottenWhat I love most about this book is its optimism. I first heard about this during a Relevant series "Why I am a Christian [______]" (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independent, Non-Voter). Being fiercely independent, I cheered when I read Merritt's portion and saw a blurb about this book. In the midst of reading it, I tweeted that I was going to sue Merritt for royalties, him having written a book that echoes so much of what I've been thinking and saying over the last few years. But where I'm by nature a pessimist, seeing only that Christians in the culture wars have "ruined it" for the rest of us, and turned our witness into an apology for who we've been (a la the confessional scene in Don Miller's "Blue Like Jazz"), Merritt offers a brazen optimism for the future. That there are other Christians fighting for a truer and uncompromised faith. I was floored with the thought "I'm not alone?" or even sometimes "I'm not alone!" as I read this. Maybe there's hope for us. Whether you're like me, or you're entrenched in the culture wars and willing to read a different perspective, pick this up. It's profound, true, emotional, and deep. I loved it, and I can't wait to go back and read Merritt's first book.
