by Jonathan Merritt – Faithwords
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Every day, major headlines tell the story of how Christianity is attempting to influence American culture and politics. But statistics show that young Americans are disenchanted with a faith that has become culturally antagonistic and too closely aligned with partisan politics. In this personal yet practical work, Jonathan Merritt uncovers the changing face of American Christianity by uniquely examining the coming of age of a new generation of Christians.
Jonathan Merritt illuminates the spiritual ethos of this new generation of believers who engage the world with Christ-centered faith but an un-polarized political perspective. Through personal stories and biblically rooted commentary this scion of a leading evangelical family takes a close, thoughtful look at the changing religious and political environment, addressing such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage, environmental use and care, race, war, poverty, and the imbalance of world wealth. Through Scripture, the examples of Jesus, and personal defining faith experiences, he distills the essential truths at the core of a Christian faith that is now just coming of age.
“Merritt represents a hopeful new current in evangelical America.” (USA Today )
“By broadening evangelicalism’s agenda, younger evangelicals like Jonathan Merritt..are doing us a favor.” (Dallas Morning News )
“Merritt…writes with humility and clarity. He addresses the political, cultural and biblical assumptions many of us hold.” (Christianity Today )
“In this book, Jonathan Merritt forces the reader to ‘choose this day whom you will serve.’ In choosing the right Kingdom and right King, we have the most affect on the one that is passing away. But in choosing the wrong Kingdom and King, we affect neither.”
-Cal Thomas, syndicated and USA Today columnist / Fox News contributor
“After a wearisome decade where younger Christians welcomed the downfall of the Religious Right, Merritt charts the way forward–helping us imagine a constructive way to advance the common good in the public square. A Faith of Our Own provides a roadmap for how Christians can engage the future.”
-Gabe Lyons, Author of The Next Christians
“In this personal, provocative, and well-written book– part memoir, part manifesto– Merritt lays out his journey and his case. If you want to understand shifts among younger Christians, this book is a must read.”
-Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research
“A Faith of Our Own is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand a post-culture war generation of Christians.”
-Matt Lewis, senior contributor, The Daily Caller
“In this provocative book Merritt again and again challenges Christians to reconsider their comfortable lives and their easy acceptance of either right-wing or left-wing politics as God’s way of living their faith in the world.”
-Steve Monsma, Senior Research Fellow at the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College
“Merritt represents an entire generation seeking to reconcile sanctification with service without embracing the extremes. This book provides a blueprint that if applied will replace the image of an angry, white evangelical in the public square with a compassionate follower of Christ in the heart of the community.”
-Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
“With eloquence, wit and experience, Jonathan illuminates the incongruence between Christian political partisanship and the Gospel of Jesus… [He] inspires hope that there is a less divisive way for Christians to engage politics and culture-a way that looks more like Jesus, marked by humility, grace, mercy and respect.”
-Phileena Heuertz, author of Pilgrimage of a Soul
“Tearing down sacred cows that served as idols to a previous generation, Jonathan offers insight into a way forward that encompasses a hopeful future for the role of faith in American culture. With A Faith of Our Own, Merritt reveals the courage to speak bold truth in love for the good of the Church.”
-Soong Chan Rah, author of The Next Evangelicalism; Professor, at North Park Theological Seminary
“Jonathan Merritt gives us a personal and intriguing guidebook for Christian participation in the public square. As a church leader involved in the moral causes of our time, he helps us all understand how political participation can be yet another way to exercise our faith in Christ. This is a fresh look from a young leader!”
-Joel Hunter, author and pastor of Northland Church
“Jonathan Merritt is part of a new generation of evangelicals seeking to be kingdom builders rather than culture warriors. He thinks Christians should be salt and light rather than fire and ice. We should listen to him.”
– Barry Hankins, author of Jesus and Gin: Evangelicalism, the Roaring Twenties, and Today’s Culture Wars and professor of history and church-state studies at Baylor University
“A forceful but loving critique of the tragic failures of my generation of evangelicals by a gifted young leader. Plus a biblically solid, Christ-centered way forward. A must read.”
-Ronald J. Sider, bestselling author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger and President of Evangelicals for Social Action