A Future for American Evangelicalism: Commitment Openness and Conversation

This book proposes that participation in Gods Project of Reconciliation is the Center that can hold evangelical Christians together in the midst of great diversity in belief and ecclesiastical practices. The author envisions a vibrant future for the Evangelical movement if professing evangelicals can model that rare combination of deep commitment to their own beliefs; openness to listening to the beliefs of others; and willingness to engage in respectful conversation with those who disagree with them in place of the combativeness that has characterized too much of Evangelicalism in the recent past. The book models this type of conversation on such controversial issues as the exclusivity of Christianity the inerrancy of the bible Evangelicalism and morality Evangelicalism and politics scientific models on humanity cosmic and human origins and the future of evangelical higher education. Harold Heie is an admirable leader in advocating that evangelicals should combine their firm commitments with Christian virtues such as generosity respect and humility toward those who differ from them. That has been the premise of his valuable Respectful Conversations website from which many of the insights in this book are drawn. Anyone who wants to know the state of the conversation about American evangelicalism will find this volume to be an excellent resource. --George Marsden Emeritus Professor of History University of Notre Dame This stimulating and hopeful book features the best kind of respectful conversations among American evangelical believers. Harold Heie is convinced that actually communicating with others who hold slightly different--or very different--convictions about what evangelical Christianity should be creates the best path into the future. This book puts that conviction into practice. As it takes up issues that often divide evangelicals into angry sub-camps the result is a welcome promotion of civility balance and humility--all of which reflect the Christian gospel in its most attractive form. --Mark Noll Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History University of Notre Dame On the subject of American evangelicalism vapid generalizations abound. Harold Heie provides a much-needed alternative. Both longtime students of the subject and relative newcomers will profit from this model of respectful (but far from bland) conversation. --John Wilson Editor Books & Culture Harold Heie is a Senior Fellow at The Colossian Forum. He previously served as Founding Director of the Center for Christian Studies at Gordon College (now the Center for Faith and Inquiry) and as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Messiah College and Northwestern College in Iowa after teaching mathematics at Gordon College and the Kings College. He holds a PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University and served as a trustee for the Center for Public Justice and as a Senior Fellow at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). His publications include Learning to Listen Ready to Talk: A Pilgrimage Toward Peacemaking (2007) Mutual Treasure: Seeking Better Ways for Christians and Culture to Converse (2009) and Evangelicals on Public Policy Issues: Sustaining a Respectful Political Conversation (2014).