“Why does the church stir up such negative feelings?” I have found that this question is more relevant now than ever. In a twenty-year span starting in the mid-nineties, research shows that favorable opinions of Christianity have plummeted drastically—and opinions of Evangelicals have taken even deeper dives. Yet while the opinions about Christianity are dropping, interest in spirituality is rising. Why the disconnect? Why are so many asking, “What’s so good about the Good News?”?
As I aim this book at Christian readers, I show how Christians have lost respect, influence, and reputation in a newly post-Christian culture, and discuss what may have contributed to hostility toward Evangelicals.
I explore how we Christians can offer grace in a way that is compelling to a jaded society, and how can we make a difference in a world that cries out in need, sharing illuminating stories of how faith can be expressed in ways that disarm even the most cynical critics.
And then I invite us to reflect on the Good News, and on what is worth preserving in a culture that thinks it has rejected Christian faith.
People inside and outside the church still thirst for grace. What the church lacked in its heyday is now exactly what it needs to recover, and to thrive. Grace can bring together Christianity and our post-Christian culture, inviting outsiders as well as insiders to take a deep second look at why our faith matters.
(Zondervan, re-released in soft-cover June 2018)
Endorsements and Honors
“An interesting, lively and thought provoking insight into the theological, ecclesiastical, and cultural questions being grappled with by our American brothers and sisters.”
The Church Times
“The book encourages us to look again at our life and witness to ensure that we treat people as people and not as a cause.”
Rev Paul Wilson, The Methodist Recorder
“Journalist and popular writer, Philip Yancey asks why the church tends to so often stir up negative vibes in our society. Here he poses the question, ‘How is Christianity still relevant in a post-Christian culture’? Yancey is one of the best writers of our time, with his books already regarded as classics.”
Eddie Olliffe, Blogger, Together Magazine