Thy Kingdom Come - a Review at SoMA

Randy Balmer's Thy Kingdom Come is an important response to the direction of the Evangelical Movement. Even if you don't accept his understanding of Evangelicalism, I think he raises questions that need answering. I've written a review of the book for SoMA Review, which John Spalding has graciously published. I invite you to take a look at it -- just click here.
John has paired my review with Benjamin Shobert's review of Aleandra Pelosi's HBO film Friends of God. Shobert gives an excellent intro to this film, which since I don't have HBO am waiting to find on Netflix. I found this statement of Shobert intriguing:

Pelosi’s quirky journey through evangelical America reveals just how far the Christian subculture extends. Today’s evangelicals have come a long way, baby. They encompass everything from the straight and narrows to young rebels sporting long hair, tattoos, body-piercings, and couture jeans complete with un-buttoned and un-tucked shirts. “Friends of God” buzzes through Christian wrestling events and churches whose interiors come with mall-like coffee stores and retail kiosks. It makes pit stops at tortured and sadly unoriginal evangelical rock concerts that recall that memorable episode from "The Simpsons," when Ned Flanders’ girlfriend, a Christian musician, tells him the secret to contemporary Christian music is to replace “baby” with “Jesus” in the lyrics.

Indeed, Balmer and Pelosi together give us a picture of a movement in disarray and in someways in love with itself, rather than with God. So happy reading -- the reviews, the book, and then watching the movie!

Comments

Unknown said…
As a non-believer, watching this film I have to say I was shocked. The Wrestlers for Jesus were just one of the wacky things Christians are doing these days. I worry about this country's fate. My hope is that faith fades here as it has in western Europe.

Peace,

http://thegoodatheist.blogspot.com/

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