Cultural Apologetics
(Zondervan, 2019)
WHO: Paul M. Gould, professor of philosophy and apologetics at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at Oklahoma Baptist University.
THE BOOK: Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience and Imagination in a Disenchanted World (Zondervan, 2019)
HE SAYS: “As cultural apologists, we can use the planks of reason (and its quest for truth), the conscience (and its quest for goodness) and the imagination (and its quest for beauty) to build a bridge to Jesus and the gospel.”
THE BIG IDEA: Today, we no longer see the world as beautiful, mysterious and sacred. Rather, the world is perceived as mundane or ordinary. As a result, Jesus and the gospel story seem implausible, undesirable or both. We need to pay attention to the progress of the gospel in the culture-shaping institutions of the world and in individual lives.
WHY CHURCH LEADERS SHOULD READ IT: It is possible today for people to live, work and seek meaning without ever appealing to the transcendent. The church and its leaders must come together to help others see the relevancy of Jesus and the gospel to all of life.
WHY CONGREGANTS SHOULD READ IT: Cultural Apologetics aims to help believers flourish by reminding them that the gospel story is alive—inspiring them with a vision of wholeness, challenging them to live for a story bigger than themselves and encouraging them to join together with others.
QUOTABLE: “If a genuine missionary encounter between Christianity and Western culture were to happen, and the church could bridge the gap by pointing to the truth, goodness and beauty the culture longs for, I believe it would lead to the reestablishment of the Christian imagination, mind and conscience.”
Also available is a same-titled 15-lesson, two DVD set from Zondervan.
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