Library week competition (book review)

Callum G. Brown, The Death of Christian Britain, London: Routledge, 2001.

Here is a startling analysis of how the western church lost its cultural relevance! Essentially Brown’s thesis is that from 1800 the church in Britain took on a feminine oriented disposition. Historically women had been seen as a corrupting influence on the spirituality of men, but it became then the vices of men, such as drinking, that needed reform. Women in contrast actually achieved social recognition, indeed status from piety. Two examples serve to illustrate his point – firstly the linkage between Christian women and the politically influential temperance movement in the decades either side of the beginning of the last century. A second is the changing depiction of angels which had always been men but in this period became feminine.

Finally the social upheavals of the 1960’s broke the connect between feminism and piety causing women to leave the church, thereby also losing the men who were there on account of their women. As Brown cleverly puts it, ‘the keys to understanding secularisation in Britain are the simultaneous de-pietisation of femininity and the de-feminisation of piety from the 1960’s.’

Reading the book one thought might be that he over states his case. However further reflection suggests Brown really has no choice but to talk in anecdotal generalisations & trends but in this he makes a very strong point. If he’s right … however this is an historical analysis not a missiology - then it has profound implications for the future direction of the church.

By Robert Markley

Albert Y. Hsu, The Suburban Christian. Finding spiritual vitality in the land of plenty. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 2006.

King Canute famously tried to stop the tide coming in. This light but very thoughtful book accepts the tide of cultural change and takes a refreshing look at today’s predominant western lifestyle. Rather than bemoaning consumerism, individualism, isolation et al and deploring insensitivity to the plight of the urban poor; Hsu accepts the fact that more than half of America now live in suburbs and he probes the issues he and they face. There is the cost of living, the time pressures and the forced daily commute. This is a land of plenty but it is also a land of stress and difficult life choices. So how does one live as a Christian in such a world? It should be great relief to most of us that there is a middle path – while there are certainly faults and flaws in our culture, Christians can live counter culturally within the culture and still make a difference. Hsu has a lot of good starter suggestions on where suburban Christians are already on track and where we need to make changes.

It is a thought provoking read and one particularly relevant to New Zealand Baptists with our predominantly white middle class suburban congregations. In no way does the book suggest we shouldn’t focus on the poor, but just maybe God is also at work right where we live already…and the biggest mission field is closer to home than we think.

By Robert Markley