Aaron Renn was one of the first evangelicals to understand the crisis facing all Christians committed to living out biblical orthodoxy in these post-Christian times. His insights guide me in my own thinking about fidelity under fire. Aaron is fearless, Aaron is faithful—and Aaron is right about the harsh reality believers face. Neither wish-fulness nor winsomeness is adequate to meet the challenges, and the full-throated rage that electrifies online Christian discussion feels good but accomplishes very little. Life in the Negative World is both a work of practical hope and a serious book for serious believers learning how to be strangers in a strange land.
Rod Dreher, author of The Benedict Option and Live Not by Lies
Rarely does one encounter a writer and analyst who can cut through the noise on Christianity and culture the way Aaron Renn does. His content is rich, analytical, insightful and comes from a place of authentic faith. Like the men of Issachar, Renn understands the times.
Hunter Baker, dean of College of Arts and Sciences and professor of political science, Union University
American Christians aren’t used to living in a society hostile to our core beliefs. This book is a much-needed wake-up call. Renn lays out the challenges and gives sage advice about how to bear fruitful witness. A must-read for every Christian leader.
R. R. Reno, editor of First Things
The most important distinction in the American church today is not the one between liberal and conservative, or high church and low church, or mainline and evangelical; no, the most important distinction in the American church today is between those who recognize that we live in the negative world and those who haven’t yet accepted that fact. I am in the former camp, and Aaron Renn has given me the vocabulary I need to help others see the world as it is. Every now and then a writer and thinker comes along who helps us see the world more clearly, and Aaron Renn has been that guide for me. In Life in the Negative World he does two important things: (1) He helps us see the world as it actually is and not as we wish it to be. (2) He gives us a way forward. I’d recommend this book to every pastor I know, and I’d like everyone in my church to read it.
Andrew Forrest, senior pastor of Asbury Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
ZONDERVAN REFLECTIVE
Life in the Negative World
Copyright © 2024 by Aaron M. Renn
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ePub Edition © December 2023: ISBN 978-0-310-15517-1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Renn, Aaron M., 1959- author.
Title: Life in the ...
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About Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian CultureLearning how to live in today's new social and cultural environment will require examination, trial and error, and adaptation over time. But there are ways to live with integrity and follow Christ today, even in a negative world. From a peak in church attendance in the mid-20th century, Christianity has been on a trajectory of decline in the United States. Once positive toward Christianity and Christian moral teachings, cultural shifts toward the mid-90s led many to adopt a more neutral tone toward the Christian faith, seeing it as one option among many in a pluralistic public square. Today, however, Christianity is viewed negatively, and being known as a Christian often means a lower social status in elite society. Christian morality is openly repudiated and viewed as a threat to the new moral order. In Life in the Negative World, author Aaron M. Renn looks at the lessons from Christian cultural engagement over the past 70 years and suggests specific strategies for churches, institutions, and individuals to live faithfully in the "negative" world—a culture opposed to Christian values and teachings. And since there is no one-size-fits-all solution, living as a follower of Christ in the new, negative world and being missionally engaged will require a diversity of strategies. |
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