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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: Clapp begins by showing how the church, since the time of Constantine, has functioned as a subordinate, a "chaplain" to the dominant culture. This is not a new idea (see Luther) but if it is new to you, this book does a good job expositing it. What Clapp does add to the discussion is a sharp analysis of where the church stands today -- as modern society decides it doesn't have much use for a chaplain anymore, what is the church's response? He shows how conservatives who want to put "God back in government" and liberals who want to take the gospel out of church functions (weddings, funerals, etc.) are essentially twins separated at birth -- both are simply trying to reclaim the church's traditional place in society. Defining the problem is the strong suit of this book; offering an answer is weaker. Clapp makes it clear that there is another road that the church ought to take, and spends a long time trying to lay it out, but in the end I have less than a clear picture of what it ought to be. In his defense, I don't think this is his fault. Ultimately I think that the role the church needs to and decides to play in a post-Christian society is as yet undetermined -- it is something we need to explore, experiment with, and figure out as we go. If Clapp had offered a clear, easy step-by-step guide to how to succeed in the 21st century, I probably would've been dissatisfied with it (my postmodern roots are showing, aren't they?) As it is, I respect him for his analysis of the past, for taking stabs at possible solutions or directions, and for saying a lot of things that need to be said. This is a valuable book and one I highly recommend to church leaders and those interested in the shaping of the church.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Clapp begins by showing how the church, since the time of Constantine, has functioned as a subordinate, a "chaplain" to the dominant culture. This is not a new idea (see Luther) but if it is new to you, this book does a good job expositing it. What Clapp does add to the discussion is a sharp analysis of where the church stands today -- as modern society decides it doesn't have much use for a chaplain anymore, what is the church's response? He shows how conservatives who want to put "God back in government" and liberals who want to take the gospel out of church functions (weddings, funerals, etc.) are essentially twins separated at birth -- both are simply trying to reclaim the church's traditional place in society. Defining the problem is the strong suit of this book; offering an answer is weaker. Clapp makes it clear that there is another road that the church ought to take, and spends a long time trying to lay it out, but in the end I have less than a clear picture of what it ought to be. In his defense, I don't think this is his fault. Ultimately I think that the role the church needs to and decides to play in a post-Christian society is as yet undetermined -- it is something we need to explore, experiment with, and figure out as we go. If Clapp had offered a clear, easy step-by-step guide to how to succeed in the 21st century, I probably would've been dissatisfied with it (my postmodern roots are showing, aren't they?) As it is, I respect him for his analysis of the past, for taking stabs at possible solutions or directions, and for saying a lot of things that need to be said. This is a valuable book and one I highly recommend to church leaders and those interested in the shaping of the church.
Rating: 
Summary: Profound book. A must read for every Christian.
Review: Rodney Clapp paints a beautiful picture of what it means to be the church. For those of us who have been through countless church splits, arguments, and petty bickering, it gives hope. Yet at the same time it strongly convicts, pushing us toward a higher and more lofty goal. Definitely read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Profound book. A must read for every Christian.
Review: Rodney Clapp's book totally transformed my view of the nature and purpose of the church. Instead of viewing the church as a collection of individuals with a particular philosophy, ideology, or political agenda; Clapp identifies the church as a community that composes a new culture. This culture, he says, should be in the business of transforming society and individuals through what he calls "sanctified subversion". That is, instead of withdrawing from the mainstream culture into our own Christian ghetto (the all too prevalent fortress mentality found among most politically and theologically conservative Christians), he says that the church must seek to interact with and redeem the things of secular society by modeling a new kind of community. However, this transformation should be about developing the church into a genuine culture and subtly reaching out to the culture around it rather than about the church dominating secular society through round after round of political power plays in the so-called "culture wars." The issue is not "taking back America" but taking back the church, allowing it to genuinely be the church as distinct, but not isolated from the broader culture. Clapp presents an odd but appealing mixture of Reformed, Anabaptist, and postmodern perspectives. He crosses boundaries of liberal and conservative, traditional and postmodern, historic and contemporary. If you like closed, neatly defined categories of what is acceptable for the church you won't like this book. But if you want a book that presents and radical (but historic) vision of what the church should be then I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: This book will push you to think outside the box
Review: Rodney Clapp's book totally transformed my view of the nature and purpose of the church. Instead of viewing the church as a collection of individuals with a particular philosophy, ideology, or political agenda; Clapp identifies the church as a community that composes a new culture. This culture, he says, should be in the business of transforming society and individuals through what he calls "sanctified subversion". That is, instead of withdrawing from the mainstream culture into our own Christian ghetto (the all too prevalent fortress mentality found among most politically and theologically conservative Christians), he says that the church must seek to interact with and redeem the things of secular society by modeling a new kind of community. However, this transformation should be about developing the church into a genuine culture and subtly reaching out to the culture around it rather than about the church dominating secular society through round after round of political power plays in the so-called "culture wars." The issue is not "taking back America" but taking back the church, allowing it to genuinely be the church as distinct, but not isolated from the broader culture. Clapp presents an odd but appealing mixture of Reformed, Anabaptist, and postmodern perspectives. He crosses boundaries of liberal and conservative, traditional and postmodern, historic and contemporary. If you like closed, neatly defined categories of what is acceptable for the church you won't like this book. But if you want a book that presents and radical (but historic) vision of what the church should be then I highly recommend this book.
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