Launch of Community Engagement After Christendom by Dr Douglas Hynd
23 Sep 2022 - by
On 9 September the ACC&C celebrated the launch of Community Engagement After Christendom, Cascade Books, by adjunct scholar Dr Douglas Hynd. The book was launched by Rev Graham Long, former Minister and CEO of the Wayside Chapel. Rev'd Dr Jeanette Matthews, senior lecturer at St Mark's Theological College will hosted event.
About the book
The post-Christendom era in the English-speaking world has seen a significant reduction in access to political power by the churches, a slow loss of their social and cultural influence, and a shredding of their moral standing from abuse scandals and other public failings. Community Engagement after Christendom directly addresses these challenges, proposing a different approach to the relationship between church and society.
Church agencies today are often entangled in contracting with the state and its private partners to deliver government policy and services. This means they can be increasingly vulnerable to external pressure. So what resources can they and their agencies draw upon to reshape community engagement in a difficult, unset- tling context?
Community Engagement after Christendom proposes a multifaceted approach. It begins by reading Scripture afresh through questions shaped by the present situation. Douglas Hynd then explores the story of Anabaptist public servant Pilgram Marpeck, identifying how his critique of Christendom can help reshape our understanding today. Finally, he looks at the current experience of church-related agencies and Christian advocacy, suggesting fresh, imaginative ways forward.
