Nappaland's BookBlog Review

UNCHRISTIAN: Subtitle

by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

(Baker Books)

Reader Appeal: Thoughtful Christians of all ages

Genre: Christian Living / Sociology

UnChristian is a groundbreaking book which presents troubling research by the Barna Group. Christianity, it seems, has a serious image problem among individuals between the ages of 16-29. Research indicated that young adults who are outside of the church are more likely to have negative perceptions of Christianity than the Boomers and older Busters who went before them.

Kinnaman organizes the research data and discovers that the criticisms of Christianity, as practiced today, falls into six major themes. 1) Christians are hypocritical (we hold up and export a moral standard that we ourselves are unable to keep); 2) We are too focused on conversions (at the expense of actually being concerned about people as individuals); 3) Christians are perceived to be anti-homosexual; 4) Christians are intellectually and experientially sheltered; 5) Christians are too political (and are seen as too aligned with “right wing politics”); and finally 6) Christians are seen as judgmental (outsiders doubt whether we love all people as we say we do). 

The meticulous research in this book forces the reader to deal with the data. Kinnaman goes on to advance the argument that these perceptions exist, in part, because the church as fallen into an “unchristian faith.” He writes:

“Like a corrupted file or a bad photocopy, Christianity, they say, is no longer in pure form, and so they reject it. One-quarter of outsiders say their foremost perception of Christianity is that the faith has changed for the worse. It has gotten off track and is not what Christ intended. Modern day Christianity no longer seems Christian.”

(unChristian, p.29)

Kinnaman and Lyons rightfully caution the reader not examine the data and then fall into the trap of a popularity contest. If our faith is practiced correctly, there will be opposition from outsiders; Jesus promised as much. However, the Apostle Peter cautioned that there is no merit in suffering brought on by our own misbehavior.

In spite of the sobering research, UnChristian is a hopeful book in that it offers a template for correcting our corrupted faith. Each negative perception can be flipped to offer us a positive vision of what Christianity could and should become. Over 40 Christian writers and pastors were tapped to cast their vision of a church that overcomes the corrupted faith with which we currently struggle.

UnChristian has already taken its rightful place among the most widely discussed books in evangelical circles. It deserves a place on your bookshelf as well.

BOOKBLOG RATING: A-

--LS

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