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155th out of 768 books
—
619 voters
Resident Aliens
In this bold and visionary book, two leading Christian thinkers explore the "alien" status of Christians in today's world and offer a compelling new vision of how the Christian church can regain its vitality, battle its malaise, reclaim its capacity to nourish souls, and stand firmly against the illusions, pretensions, and eroding values of today's world. Hauerwas and Will...more
Paperback, 175 pages
Published
September 1st 1989
by Abingdon Press
(first published January 1st 1989)
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Who doesn't love a repeated swift kick in the backside?
As a loud and clear call for the Church to start acting like the Church, this book was a gem. There is a reason, it is becoming a modern ecclesial classic. Although many of the socio-political references are dated (Reagan, Iran/Contra, yuppies, etc.) the attitudes behind the critiques are not. Some of the pokes at mainline denominations are even funnier (and thus more sad) because the criticisms are still true (i.e. one mainline denomination...more
As a loud and clear call for the Church to start acting like the Church, this book was a gem. There is a reason, it is becoming a modern ecclesial classic. Although many of the socio-political references are dated (Reagan, Iran/Contra, yuppies, etc.) the attitudes behind the critiques are not. Some of the pokes at mainline denominations are even funnier (and thus more sad) because the criticisms are still true (i.e. one mainline denomination...more
This was the best book that I have read with the Sunday school class. I say so because of the authors' advocating people look at themselves. In other words, they are ostensibly saying how Christians themselves should live instead of criticizing other kinds of Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. At the same time, there were areas if ambiguity and unclarity. One example is the issue of converting other people to Christianity. They were not clear about whether they were recommending that or not. Anothe...more
While I was reading this book I didn't like it quite as much as the other Hauerwas works I have read, but since then I've found it's stuck with me quite a bit. As the title suggests it is more emphatically focused on Christianity than his other books that I've read. In particular, Hauerwas strongly takes issue with the "Constantinian" viewpoint that close ties between the church and state are beneficial for the church, and with the perspective that there is some special affinity between Christia...more
Like too many books, the first half was better than the second, still it was a worthwhile read. Hauerwas, and his co-author, William Willimon, rightly critique the failed politics of both the liberal church and the conservative church, arguing for living out the Gospel as the true politics of the Christian. Their proposition is that Gospel living, especially as embodied by the Sermon on the Mount, isn't about making this world a better place, but rather about demonstrating what the world to come...more
Hauerwas considers the "alien" status of Christians in today's society, and argues for how the church can be a vital presence in the world. I probably underlined like half the book. Some great quotes:
"Is the world a place where we must constantly guard against our death, anxiously building hedges against that sad but inevitable reality? Or is the world a place where our death is viewed and reviewed under the reality of the cross of Christ?" (88)
"The loss of Christendom gives us a joyous opportu...more
"Is the world a place where we must constantly guard against our death, anxiously building hedges against that sad but inevitable reality? Or is the world a place where our death is viewed and reviewed under the reality of the cross of Christ?" (88)
"The loss of Christendom gives us a joyous opportu...more
Note: I'm an atheist, but read this prior to that, it's one of those books that most Christians won't read, and of those that do, very few will follow the advise found on there.
The descriptions in here of the self righteous pastors was spot on, as were the self loathing ones.
Those that fit the descriptions herein, they were instrumental in my becoming an atheist and renouncing any belief in the mythical Christ.
Hatred begets hatred.
If more Christians read this book, and followed it, the world wou...more
The descriptions in here of the self righteous pastors was spot on, as were the self loathing ones.
Those that fit the descriptions herein, they were instrumental in my becoming an atheist and renouncing any belief in the mythical Christ.
Hatred begets hatred.
If more Christians read this book, and followed it, the world wou...more
This book does a decent job of pointing out how we, the church, are resident aliens, a colony in the midst of an unbelieving world. Most people suppose our nation is christian. The problem with this thinking is that we lose our identity and compromise with the unbelieving world around us, supposing that it is christian. Our allegiance is to Christ, not to some nation. We cannot be the church, a city on the hill, if our goals and what we look like cannot be differentiated from the world.
Just ove...more
Just ove...more
���The church is a colony, an island of one culture in the middle of another. In baptism our citizenship is transferred from one dominion to another, and we become, in whatever culture we find ourselves, resident aliens.��� This is an accurate summary of Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon���s book titled,
���Resident Aliens.���
In Resident Aliens, Hauerwas and Willimon draw out the idea that as Christians each and every one of us operate from a distinctively different set of values and a tota...more
���Resident Aliens.���
In Resident Aliens, Hauerwas and Willimon draw out the idea that as Christians each and every one of us operate from a distinctively different set of values and a tota...more
“The church is a colony, an island of one culture in the middle of another. In baptism our citizenship is transferred from one dominion to another, and we become, in whatever culture we find ourselves, resident aliens.” This is an accurate summary of Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon’s book titled,
“Resident Aliens.”
In Resident Aliens, Hauerwas and Willimon draw out the idea that as Christians each and every one of us operate from a distinctively different set of values and a totally differ...more
“Resident Aliens.”
In Resident Aliens, Hauerwas and Willimon draw out the idea that as Christians each and every one of us operate from a distinctively different set of values and a totally differ...more
NOTE: The reviews for this book on amazon.com are much much better than mine - please go read them here.
As I reflect on this book, I'm saddened that it was written twenty years ago, yet has not seemed to have the impact I would have hoped. But I realize that challenging your own assumptions about God, church, and ministry is not an easy task, and takes time.
The authors expose the American church for what it is: a Constantinian, sentimental group of people who believe the least painful lie. But t...more
As I reflect on this book, I'm saddened that it was written twenty years ago, yet has not seemed to have the impact I would have hoped. But I realize that challenging your own assumptions about God, church, and ministry is not an easy task, and takes time.
The authors expose the American church for what it is: a Constantinian, sentimental group of people who believe the least painful lie. But t...more
Interesting take on the proper role of the church: We should be ready to live out the Christian life the scriptures call us to rather than focusing exclusively on either the conservative's evangelistic emphasis or the liberal's social gospel. This book explores what that means in terms of ministry and ethics. However, his conclusions place a large burden on the people of the church without recognizing that it is only by God's grace that we can live anything close to the life He has called us to.
I found it rather refreshing that the authors come from a tradition and theological school that I have not had as much interaction with (United Methodist). As I read, I found it really interesting that, having been written in the 1989, the book addresses much that is widely being discussed today in parts of the emerging church conversation. I wondered if maybe the church wasn’t ready for some those questions in 1989.
In particular, the book has a lot to say in assessing how deeply the Enlightenm...more
In particular, the book has a lot to say in assessing how deeply the Enlightenm...more
In order to understand the Postmodern thought, you must first be able to think as a postmodern. Hauerwas is one of the FEW evangelicals that is willing to take on and understand Postmodern thought, NOT but using modern tactics to try and tear down Postmodern thought, but by starting from the beginning as a postmodern, and then viewing the world. This book will make you so angry you throw it across the room, but in the end it will all make sense, as no other book does on this subject.
This book is for every Christian, especially leaders and, among them, pastors. So be forewarned, dear pastor, this book will kick you in the butt... real hard. But there's also great encouragement all throughout for those whose calling is to serve the truthful community that is the church.
"Failing at being truthful, about the best we can expect of ourselves is to live by the least hurtful of our lies." p. 158
"Failing at being truthful, about the best we can expect of ourselves is to live by the least hurtful of our lies." p. 158
Stanley Hauerwas shows how unbiblically individuated and anti-authoritarian we moderns (and post-moderns!) are to the core. Even those who have grown up "in the church" probably have no idea how drastically alien the church should be among a people "without hope and without God in the world". Hauerwas slaps us upside the head with the reminder of how ethically active and submissively communal is our walk with Jesus.
My brother lent me my dad's copy of this book - so it's been passed around our family a bit now. I found it to have some really powerful ideas that have caused me to think a lot. The second half of the book was kind of a drag for me though, probably because it is written for clergy people and goes pretty in-depth on some topics that were hard for me to relate to.
While some of the material is dated a bit given the (then) current events that are referred to throughout the book, the wisdom given remains timeless. This is a great book for any minster to read. It is a challenge for all ministers to discern if they are confronting issues with the congregation they serve. I found the diagnosis of the church to be very similar now as it was when the authors first wrote this in 1989.
hauerwas and willimon have done it again! this book is from 1989, and everything in it, sadly, is still 100 per cent true. it's about the church's purpose, which we should think about more often, and this book made me do that. the gist is that the church does not exist to make the world a better place, but to form people who follow Christ. period. we've gotten woefully wrapped up in political, charitable, even theological charades of do-gooding, while we neglect the true needs of congregations a...more
I resonate with much of what is said here, except for the emphasis on pacifism (which is far too black-and-white a reading of history and the world's complex issues) and the constant ahistorical use of Constantine as "whipping boy." I'm looking forward to engaging with the authors and others on a much deeper level as I work on my dissertation over the next few years.
This is one of those books you really want to like. Really hope will have some answers. But truly, it's so full of the academic and theological "stuff" that is one of the prime causes of the problems this book hopes to reveal and solve, that I could barely take it.
This is a great, important book. As others have said, the first half is perhaps more engaging. But overall I read it very quickly and found that the ideas it communicated fizzled unstoppably in my mind for the next few weeks! Well worth checking out!
The book has an amerikan viewpoint. But it lays a foundation for understanding my place as a christian in the world. This one is a must read as far as i am concerned.
Got it on interlibrary loan from…Roswell Public Library, Roswell, NM. "Oh, the title has the word 'aliens'? Let's get it and put in our library. Wait…it's not about aliens!"
Hauerwas and Willamon criticize the individualized faith and life of the Western Enlightenment in favor of radically different communal living as the Church.
Aug 07, 2011
John
marked it as to-read
"The biggest problem facing Christian theology is not translation but enactment". This book summons the church to "enact" its calling as a distinctive community that views the world under the distinctive light of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Somewhat reactionary, but sometimes we need that sort of thing as long as it's taken with a grain of salt.
> 1 star. It is a bad book. Please, do not read. Hauerwas doesn't know what he's talking about.
"Christian living" without Christ...that's what this read like.
Best book I've ever read on the church, hands down!
Not one of my favorite Christian books. I don't really like books by Christian authors that are so much on the lecture and preaching side then on having a conversation with their reader about God, Jesus Christ and the Bible. I didn't finish it but I might someday when I'm in the mood for a this type of book.
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Stanley Hauerwas (PhD, Yale University) is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of numerous books, including Cross-Shattered Christ, A Cross-Shattered Church, War and the American Difference, and Matthew in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible.
More about Stanley Hauerwas...
America's Best Theologian according to Time Magazine (2001), though
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