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Faith in Society: 13 Profiles of Christians Adding Value to the Modern World
Christian high school and college students have inadvertently been led to believe that working in non-Christian settings is the preferred way of making the world a better place. This book takes the opposite view. Anthony Bradley argues that it is perfectly honorable and praiseworthy for Christians to work within Christian contexts to add value to the world. Faith In Society profiles thirteen different explicitly Christian contexts that are already serving the common good. ""The phrase 'find your passion' can feel intimidating to most high school and college students. However, this book provides inspiring examples, practical next steps, and an invitation to consider innovative work within a breadth of Christian institutions. Readers will leave motivated and with a greater sense of the variety (and perhaps never-before-considered) roles in God's reclamation project."" --Kimberly Thornbury, Vice President, The King's College Anthony B. Bradley is a professor of religious studies and chair of the Religious and Theological Studies Program at The King's College in New York City. He is also a Research Fellow at the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
64 pages, Hardcover
Published February 14, 2019
About the author
Anthony B. Bradley
16 books61 followersDr. Anthony Bradley (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a professor of religious studies, chair of the program in Religious and Theological Studies, and director of the Center for the Study of Human Flourishing at The King’s College.
Dr. Bradley lectures at colleges, universities, business organizations, conferences, and churches throughout the U.S. and abroad. His writings on religious and cultural issues have been published in a variety of journals, including: the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Examiner, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Detroit News, Christianity Today, and World Magazine.
Dr. Bradley lectures at colleges, universities, business organizations, conferences, and churches throughout the U.S. and abroad. His writings on religious and cultural issues have been published in a variety of journals, including: the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Examiner, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Detroit News, Christianity Today, and World Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 25, 2021
(2.5 Stars)
Anthony Bradley offers up a series of thirteen unique essays on differing Christian careers in contemporary society. Overall, these essays are mostly harmless and helpful outlines for young people of faith to get an idea of what they want to do for the Kingdom of God. However, this does not exempt it from criticism.
In these essays, Bradley clearly states that he's advocating that Christians don't need to but should consider the value of taking up careers inside their own religious bubbles. I cannot help but think that this attitude towards the Christian in the career world would only widen the gap between the Church and secular society. The backbone of Bradley's proposition seems to root itself in the virtue of Christian organizations in comparison to secular ones. However, a business' virtue is completely independent of its religious affiliation. For example, Bradley mentions a Christian non-profit organization that fights sex trafficking but then goes on to mention Forever 21 as another virtuous business. Forever 21 is a fast-fashion organization that is notorious for using sweatshops for its labor. I cannot imagine that the young and "new wave" Christians would feel comfortable working for such an organization nor would find such a practice Biblical.
I will concede that perhaps I am giving the book too much of a hard time. Bradley is most likely not thinking about the philosophical implications of what he's writing. Rather, he is just trying to come up with a helpful path for young Christians. The intent of this book is clearly to provide a framework for decent Christian careers - which it is exceptional at providing a path for.
Anthony Bradley offers up a series of thirteen unique essays on differing Christian careers in contemporary society. Overall, these essays are mostly harmless and helpful outlines for young people of faith to get an idea of what they want to do for the Kingdom of God. However, this does not exempt it from criticism.
In these essays, Bradley clearly states that he's advocating that Christians don't need to but should consider the value of taking up careers inside their own religious bubbles. I cannot help but think that this attitude towards the Christian in the career world would only widen the gap between the Church and secular society. The backbone of Bradley's proposition seems to root itself in the virtue of Christian organizations in comparison to secular ones. However, a business' virtue is completely independent of its religious affiliation. For example, Bradley mentions a Christian non-profit organization that fights sex trafficking but then goes on to mention Forever 21 as another virtuous business. Forever 21 is a fast-fashion organization that is notorious for using sweatshops for its labor. I cannot imagine that the young and "new wave" Christians would feel comfortable working for such an organization nor would find such a practice Biblical.
I will concede that perhaps I am giving the book too much of a hard time. Bradley is most likely not thinking about the philosophical implications of what he's writing. Rather, he is just trying to come up with a helpful path for young Christians. The intent of this book is clearly to provide a framework for decent Christian careers - which it is exceptional at providing a path for.
February 16, 2023
It wasn’t the book I expected. I was thinking it was going to be historical retellings of events in Christian history. Instead, I was surprised with “Faith in Society: 13 Profiles of Christians Adding Value to Modern Society” being a book for High School and College students as they consider their future vocations. Anthony Bradley, professor of religious studies and Director of the Center for the Study of Human Flourishing at the King’s College in New York City, has pulled together thirteen short essays that challenge the notion that Christians can primarily do “Kingdom work” only in secular institutions and contexts, and show how they can actually make important inroads into our world by working in Christian contexts. The overall point of the book is to help teenage and college Christians think through how they can employ their faith and their degrees, and bring both together into the contexts of business, technology, politics, literature, and more. This is quite a useful manuscript, a short 64-page softback, for young adults as they ponder their future and directions.
Bradley takes the time to give short, well written, examples of how Christians have joined with other Christians to employ their skills and faith in various vocational settings. The material leans toward Christian-owned business and agencies, such as Praxis Labs (https://www.praxislabs.org/), or Humble Beast Records (https://humblebeast.com/) or explicitly Christian organizations such as Magic Lantern Pictures (https://magiclanternpictures.org/), Christian Solidarity Worldwide (https://www.cswusa.org/home.htm), International Justice Mission(http://www.ijm.org), or the Acton Institute (https://www.acton.org/).
At the end of each short chapter, the author has a “Majors That Get You Here” section. For example, under the topic of “Religion and Technology” he has identified majors and minors. Religious studies with minors in innovations, or technology, or design, along with computer-specific studies. Or under journalism he lists religious studies as a major with minors in journalism, communications, political science, English, or international relations. When I got to these sections I had to chuckle because Bradley, a professor of religious studies, is promoting the value of his field in all areas of emphasis. It was quite a good move on his part.
The book presents these thirteen profiles, not as an exhaustive list but as a sample. With a bit of thought and reflection, a young scholar can begin to see that the sky’s the limit! Bradley wants young adults to see that “college majors don’t equal jobs and colleges are not merely job training centers.” Rather, he is pushing for them to stretch themselves and “see new things about God’s world” through their various studies, both majors and minors, and to trust that “God will place you where you’re needed” (41). I highly recommend the work for parents and young adults.
My thanks to Wipf and Stock for sending me an electronic version of the book. I requested a physical copy, but because I don’t have 1,000 followers on my blog they declined. Nevertheless, they happily sent a .pdf version and made no demands. Thus, this review is freely made and freely given.
Bradley takes the time to give short, well written, examples of how Christians have joined with other Christians to employ their skills and faith in various vocational settings. The material leans toward Christian-owned business and agencies, such as Praxis Labs (https://www.praxislabs.org/), or Humble Beast Records (https://humblebeast.com/) or explicitly Christian organizations such as Magic Lantern Pictures (https://magiclanternpictures.org/), Christian Solidarity Worldwide (https://www.cswusa.org/home.htm), International Justice Mission(http://www.ijm.org), or the Acton Institute (https://www.acton.org/).
At the end of each short chapter, the author has a “Majors That Get You Here” section. For example, under the topic of “Religion and Technology” he has identified majors and minors. Religious studies with minors in innovations, or technology, or design, along with computer-specific studies. Or under journalism he lists religious studies as a major with minors in journalism, communications, political science, English, or international relations. When I got to these sections I had to chuckle because Bradley, a professor of religious studies, is promoting the value of his field in all areas of emphasis. It was quite a good move on his part.
The book presents these thirteen profiles, not as an exhaustive list but as a sample. With a bit of thought and reflection, a young scholar can begin to see that the sky’s the limit! Bradley wants young adults to see that “college majors don’t equal jobs and colleges are not merely job training centers.” Rather, he is pushing for them to stretch themselves and “see new things about God’s world” through their various studies, both majors and minors, and to trust that “God will place you where you’re needed” (41). I highly recommend the work for parents and young adults.
My thanks to Wipf and Stock for sending me an electronic version of the book. I requested a physical copy, but because I don’t have 1,000 followers on my blog they declined. Nevertheless, they happily sent a .pdf version and made no demands. Thus, this review is freely made and freely given.
November 11, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this work.
The good: Dr. Bradley brings to light many different ways for people to serve the kingdom of God that are outside much of the normal thinking; he highlights several people and organizations that are working in different ways informed by their faith; and he challenges Christians to work out ways in which God can use their specific gifting not just for themselves or the normal secular pursuits.
The not as good: the suggested majors lean almost exclusively in the humanities (i.e. religious studies, history, English), without much guidance for those who have degrees or wish to study in other areas like engineering, education, or agriculture; as such, the book seems like it might be largely an advertisement for The King's College where he works. Perhaps this is just unintended bias, as these are the areas in which he is most familiar with and it would not be feasible to cover everything in a readable volume; but it might have been nice to cover some new areas instead of ones where international studies or the like is listed in most of the recommended majors.
The good: Dr. Bradley brings to light many different ways for people to serve the kingdom of God that are outside much of the normal thinking; he highlights several people and organizations that are working in different ways informed by their faith; and he challenges Christians to work out ways in which God can use their specific gifting not just for themselves or the normal secular pursuits.
The not as good: the suggested majors lean almost exclusively in the humanities (i.e. religious studies, history, English), without much guidance for those who have degrees or wish to study in other areas like engineering, education, or agriculture; as such, the book seems like it might be largely an advertisement for The King's College where he works. Perhaps this is just unintended bias, as these are the areas in which he is most familiar with and it would not be feasible to cover everything in a readable volume; but it might have been nice to cover some new areas instead of ones where international studies or the like is listed in most of the recommended majors.
April 1, 2021
Dr. Bradley has written a concise but useful resource for up and coming high school students who want to know how an education at The King’s College can be a catalyst to see their potential in aiding human flourishment within God's Kingdom. The examples provided of those who are shaping and reimaging the world are an embodiment of the content that ‘King’s’ provides. Bradley's 'Faith in Society' exhibits students imbued with a King’s education and shows how they are managing resources of human flourishing and creating useful value within society. In many respects I wish I was given this worldview and examples back when I was in High School. If you are thinking about the purpose of education and your role then read this little book.
December 28, 2020
This is a good little resource to capture the imagination and help us see the potentials of living out our faith in the public square as we seek to imagine God's Kingdom on earth, in time & history, and now. Bradley challenges to live out the faith that is in us, applying all the theological content that fills our minds from that which we learn from the One who made us. Bradely demonstrates that the sacred/secular divide is illusionary at best, and we ought to have a vision for what it looks like for our theology to be lived out in culture. Needless to say, The King's College in NYC has a great professor in Bradley.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews