Tag Archives: Hipster Christians

Why We Are Not Emergent by Two Guys Who Should Be by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

American Literature

Synopsis: An overview of the emerging church movement from two critics, a pastor and a sportswriter. Review: I have been a fan of Kevin DeYoung for a while based on his appearances on the White Horse Inn, a favorite podcast of mine. And my interest in the emergent movement stems from my days as Managing Editor for a now defunct webzine covering Christianity and culture. I was there when Relevant Magazine launched and when The Ooze had only a few members. We were one of…

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Fall to Grace by Jay Bakker

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s son Jay, a pastor of a hipster church that meets in a Brooklyn bar, gives an exegesis of the book of Galatians and urges the church to return to grace-centered theology. Review: I found much to admire in Fall to Grace, most notably Bakker’s firm grasp of the freedom that grace offers the believer in Christ. However, I just couldn’t get past his round dismissal of the book of James. Bakker would have us believe that the book was…

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Christless Christianity by Michael Horton

American Literature 5 Comments

Synopsis: An examination and critique of the current state of Christianity in America, which shows the pervasive influences of Pelagianism and Gnosticism–these heresies are closer than you think. Review: Michael Horton had me at “Joel Osteen.” I was blown away by the incisiveness of Christless Christianity, a stunning work that made me so, so thankful to be attending a church deeply rooted in Reformation orthopraxis. The first section of the book deals with the prosperity gospel, looking at Osteen and others of his ilk who…

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The Book: The New Testament (Bible Illuminated)

Swedish Literature 15 Comments

I am really thankful to Lisa Roe for the chance to take a look at this provocative new version of the Bible. I am really intrigued by modern attempts to make the Bible more “relevant,” mostly because I’m not sure it needs it! From the publisher: There is no religious mission behind The Book. We believe that its success will be driven by the fact that this is not coming from any specific faith, religion or church. We are from many faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs;…

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Real Sex by Lauren Winner

American Literature

Synopsis: An exploration of the meaning of chastity in the 21st century. Review: Real Sex is an excellent companion piece to Anna Broadway’s Sexless in the City. Winner offers a larger cultural and historical context for Broadway’s desire to live chastely, and has some ideas about why Broadway expresses some disappointment in the way she has been taught by the church to think about sex. Winner’s analysis is thoughtful and well-researched, and is worth reading even by those who don’t hold the same beliefs in…

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Sexless in the City by Anna Broadway

American Literature 2 Comments

Synopsis: The misadventures of a hapless twenty-something woman whose greatest fear is that she will die a virgin, and whose second greatest fear is that she’ll have sex before marriage. Review: I’ll let you know up front that there’s no way that I can be objective about Sexless in the City, because Anna Broadway met the woman who bought her book in my very living room. (Yes, I am Blogyenta, formerly known as Girlfriend #6.) Reading Anna’s book was like sitting down to have a…

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Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: An autobiographical collection of irreverant essays about finding Jesus in the most unlikely places, starting with super-pagan Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Review: I kept hearing about this book from various people whose opinion I respected, but I was a little skeptical. I am weary of efforts to make Christianity “cool” or “relevant” or “postmodern” or whatever, and I had a preconception that this book fell into that category.

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