Hauerwas and Willimon challenge the contemporary church--and particularly the clergy--to actively create communities that follow Jesus. They argue that Christendom exists no more, and that contemporary society is far closer to 1st century society with religious pluralism and Christianity out of power than it is to 19th century ideas that Christianity was the norm in society. As a result, they call for clergy and believers to cease making accommodations to the society in which we live and instead to live as "resident aliens" who belong to a different kingdom. ( )

Some of these concepts are a bit dated and done well by others, but it still stands as a great book in talking about the way the church should look amongst the world and the status it should maintain in its society and world. ( )

In this bold and visionary ebook, two leading Christian thinkers explore the "alien" status of Christians in today's world, and offer a compelling new vision of how the Christian church can regain its vitality, battle its malaise, reclaim its capacity to nourish souls, and stand firmly against the illusions, pretensions, and eroding values of today's world. Hauerwas and Willimon call for a radical new understanding of the church. By renouncing the emphasis on personal psychological categories, they offer a vision of the church as a colony, a holy nation, a peole, a family standing for sharply focused values in a devalued world. ( )