2010 Golden Canon Leadership Book Award winner The future is now. Philip Jenkins has chronicled how the next Christendom has shifted away from the ...
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reviews
Sep 13, 2011
Glenn
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Soong-Chan Rah addresses the challenges facing the Western Church, particularly in North America, and how it must break free from what he describes as the Western cultural trappings that have deeply impacted not only people's perceptions of the Church's role in society, but led to its declining influence and relevance.
He openly addresses issues of how the evangelical church in North America has been dominated by white, middle class Americans. In fact, he quotes, "Both Time and t More...
He openly addresses issues of how the evangelical church in North America has been dominated by white, middle class Americans. In fact, he quotes, "Both Time and t More...
Aug 18, 2011
Bill
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"The best way to understand the full complexity of the gospel message is to learn from others who are seeing the story from a different angle. The necessity of mutual learning cannot be overstated. To assume that one seat in the ballpark or in the theater has a superior knowledge or perception is to fail to appreciate the value God gives to other cultures. It is the arrogance of Western, white captivity to assume that one's own cultural point of view is the end all and be all of the gosp
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Oct 15, 2009
David
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Reading this book was an experience of many emotions: at times nodding my head in agreement, at other times humbly being convicted, and at other times even anger. That range is what makes it a must-read for evangelical Christian leaders today.
Rah uses the term "white" captivity of the church as a synonym for "Western" captivity of the church throughout the book. He explains this use on page 22, saying he does so to remind us that Western culture has been dominat More...
Rah uses the term "white" captivity of the church as a synonym for "Western" captivity of the church throughout the book. He explains this use on page 22, saying he does so to remind us that Western culture has been dominat More...
Sep 22, 2009
Randal
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If you're white and bruise easily then this is not a book you should read. The author, writing from a heart that has been deeply impacted (hurt?) by the white captivity of the church in America (the West), relates how we have arrived at the place where the church in the West is controlled white mono-culturalism.
There is much truth to be gleaned from this book in way of history and understanding of my culture and the cultures that make up my larger community. I only wish the author wo More...
There is much truth to be gleaned from this book in way of history and understanding of my culture and the cultures that make up my larger community. I only wish the author wo More...
Jun 09, 2009
Daniel
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This was a great book with which I had some misgivings. Some days it was a five and some days it was a three, so I gave it a four star!
In this book, Soong-chan Rah outlines what sees as the "next evangelicalism" (a purposeful take off of Philip Jenkin's 'The Next Christendom'). He argues that the church is growing in the United States, we just can't see it because we are blinded by our expectations of who is in church and what church looks like. He calls this the "w More...
In this book, Soong-chan Rah outlines what sees as the "next evangelicalism" (a purposeful take off of Philip Jenkin's 'The Next Christendom'). He argues that the church is growing in the United States, we just can't see it because we are blinded by our expectations of who is in church and what church looks like. He calls this the "w More...
Aug 24, 2010
Jason
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The author of The Next Evangelicalism, Soong-Chan Rah, has garnished a reputation as being a bit of a firebrand. He has become known for publicly criticizing the racial insensitivity of Christian organizations on several occasions. But, let’s admit it, while they make us uncomfortable, we need firebrands now and then. Some would call them prophets.
Rah is more than a rabble rouser though. He’s a professor at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, has pastored urban, multi-ethnic More...
Rah is more than a rabble rouser though. He’s a professor at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, has pastored urban, multi-ethnic More...
May 24, 2011
Ryan
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When I first saw this book advertised by InterVarsity Press (IVP) for summer 09, I was excited. I used an old gift card to order it along with another IVP book which also came out this past summer. After finishing the book, I know why I was so excited. I’ve been open for a year, maybe a year and a half, to hear about the racism and the white, Western cultural captivity of North America, especially the Christianity there. I never found an appropriate teacher, until I found this book. My frie
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Aug 19, 2011
A. T.
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First-generation Korean immigrant Soong-Chan Rah, who founded a multiethnic church in Cambridge and now teaches at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, believes that white, middle-class Anglo-Saxon Protestant Christianity is dying out. In this he is not without his allies, and his book The Next Evangelicalism joins a growing body of literature arguing this case.
It is in many ways a convincing (and convicting) treatment. Following Phillip Jenkins' now-regarded classic, The Next C More...
It is in many ways a convincing (and convicting) treatment. Following Phillip Jenkins' now-regarded classic, The Next C More...
Aug 06, 2011
An incredible book about the most significant change taking place in the American Church, and it's not what you think it is! Find out more about the direction God is taking the Church in America. Will you be a help or a hindrance?
Jun 30, 2010
Jan
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This was excellent. The growth of the immigrant and mulitcultural churches in America is where the American Christian church growth is. Very well written and timely and thoughtful.
Aug 21, 2010
Joel
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A must read for the next generation of church leaders. Dr. Rah is a prophetic voice to the church in helping us see the problems of an ethnocentric church.
Jun 23, 2010
The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity by Soong-Chan Rah (2009)
Jun 06, 2009
Joyce
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Will update more later, but I basically dog-eared every other page in this book. Written by a Korean American pastor of a multi-ethnic church (Cambridge Covenant Fellowship Church in Boston). Pretty well-read, good list of sociological resources as well. Desires to see the old things of America pass to let God work through the Kingdom using new things, i.e. multiethnic, immigrant, and ethnic churches that aren't bound in western, white captivity.
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