In the World, But Not of the World Christian Social Thinking at the End of the Twentieth Century

by Fitz-Gibbon, Andrew L.

• ISBN13: 9780739101193
• ISBN10: 0739101196
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-06-14
• Publisher: Lexington Books

Summary

In the World, But Not of the World explores the threefold tension among Alasdair MacIntyre's prognosis for Western society; the desires of some for a social transformation with a Christian moral vision at the sacred centre; and a "baptist" understanding of Christianity as essentially voluntary, non-sacralist discipleship. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon uses five contemporary Christian social thinkers, from different traditions, as conversation partners. Through his examination of these thinkers, Fitz-Gibbon explores how the church may continue to truthfully narrate the Christian story in the midst of the moral tensions of late-capitalist Western society. His creative conclusion is that the church at the beginning of the twenty-first century can move toward a resolution of the central tension of "being in the world,but not of the world" through a synthesis of the believers' church tradition and an affirmation of communitarian liberal democracy.

Author Biography

Andrew Fitz-Gibbon is an adjunct professor at Trinity College and Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana, and a Visiting Scholar in the Religious Studies Program at Cornell University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	1	(6)
The Continuing Saga of Christian Social Thinking	7	(36)
Christian Social Theory and the Telling of Stories	43	(20)
A Truthful Tale of Messianic Community	63	(34)
John Howard Yoder
A Retelling of Protestant Neo-Orthodoxy	97	(30)
Lesslie Newbigin
A Magisterial Story of Polish Catholicism	127	(32)
Pope John Paul II
Creating a Narrative for American Popular Conservatism	159	(28)
Pat Robertson
A Narration of the Catholic Whig Tradition	187	(32)
Michael Novak
Toward a Resolution of the Central Tension of Christian Social Thinking	219	(10)
Appendix A: Thesis Diagrammatically Displayed	229	(2)
Appendix B: Threefold Tension of the Study	231	(2)
Bibliography	233	(24)
Index	257	(10)
About the Author	267