23. Disunity in Christ: “A Prophetic Breath of Fresh Air” #CaPC25

All this week, the writers of Christ and Pop Culture unveil their 25 most loved things of  2013. 

Previous #24: When We Were on Fire by Addie Zierman

#23: Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart by Christena Cleveland

It’s not hard to develop a biblical argument for unity within Christian churches. We need only go to John 17 where Jesus prays that we all “be one” as he and the Father are one. In fact, there has been much written on the importance of unity for the Body of Christ, and for this reason, Christena Cleveland’s Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart is a prophetic breath of fresh air for churches today.

While it would be easy to merely argue for unity despite our differences, Cleveland takes a road less traveled and uses her experience in social psychology to examine and critique those things that keep us from coming together. It’s no surprise that many churches are divided by race, class, gender, age, denomination, politics, and a myriad of other factors. Cleveland asks us to pause and ask why. She calls us to examine our own biases, our culture – even our own identity in Christ and the implications thereof. Disunity in Christ takes a novel approach to addressing divisions in the church and is a must-read for those troubled by the increasing tribalism and uncharitable “us vs. them” dialogue that has become so prevalent in evangelicalism today.

Next #22: Cart Life (PC)