Currently Reading: David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons’ unChristian
unChristian is a much needed book by this generation. The full title of the book is: unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity… and Why It Matters
In the United States, Christianity, in general, has an image problem. But image is not just the problem because the bases of these problems are true most of the time. David Kinnaman of the Barna Group and Gabe Lyons of the Fermi Project teamed up to study the perceptions of those outside Christianity regarding the behavior of Christians. The results are striking and need to be looked at by serious Christians and by the broader world in particular.
Here’s a rundown of the most salient findings of the book:
1. Christians are hypocritical! In most instances, this is true. A lot of Christians appear to be the guardian of morality and of good works. Yet, the very acts they condemn tend to be present in the church, too. People get put off by loud Christians who preach and preach but who fail to practice what they preach. Outsiders tend to view the good behavior of Christians as something unreal.
2. Christians are out to proselyte and get converts. Outsiders view Christians with skepticism whenever they speak about faith. They feel that Christians are simply out to get converts. As such, the outsiders don’t feel as if they are being treated as people. Instead, these outsiders feel that they are objects or targets of the condescension of Christians with their aim of “helping” outsiders get saved.
3. Against homosexuals. One of the major conclusions of unChristian is that Christians tend to be known more for what they are against instead of what they stand for. The issue of homosexuality illustrates this well. Outsiders feel that Christians are out to make the lives of gays and lesbians miserable, even with the intention of having these homosexuals “cured.”
4. Sheltered. Boring. Out of touch with reality. Inside an ivory tower. Old-fashioned. Outsiders feel that Christians want packaged and simplistic solutions and that they are not prepared for the harsh realities of life.
5. Too political. In the United States, Christians, especially evangelicals, are seen as conservative members of the political right wing. They are viewed as conservatives in the sense that they want to preserve the status quo and remain in power. Think Pat Robertson, and more recently, James Dobson. They want to bring their “Christian”/conservative agenda to the political realm. In the Philippines, though. A number of church groups are seen as leftist and sympathetic with the cause of the communists.
6. Judgmental. This perception arises from the first observation that Christians are hypocritical. They tend to view other people who do not share their views and practices in negative light. Outsiders do not often see the loving attitude that Christians often claim they have.
Kinnaman and Lyons used extensive survey research data to complete their books. But they also wrote the book so that you and I won’t get bored with the data they present. It is an enjoyable read and both Christians and not will nod in agreement with a lot of observations put forward by the book. For Christians, it is a wake up call to be more loving and show more compassion to people no matter who and what they are. For those outside Christianity, this is a good book in trying to understand the roots of these perceptions.