Evangelization and The Public Square
In Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond To The Political Culture[1] Matthew Petrusek wants to equip “evangelists” to be able to engage the political realm as he believes “the evangelist’s work includes evangelizing the political culture.”[2] He wants his readers to have the right methodological tools[3] to address what he calls “secular political theories”[4] which include “utilitarianism, classical liberalism/libertarianism, progressivism/wokeism, and non-theistic conservatism.”[5]
To process Petrusek’s argument, I want to steal Jen Vernam’s approach of asking questions.[6] With this topic, I think there are good questions around evangelization and politics to wrestle with. For example, how should Christians think and act faithfully, in word and deed, in every domain, including the public sector? Is it really a Christian’s calling to “call the culture back to Christ,” as Petrusek believes? There’s no way to comprehensively cover that topic in a single post. Instead, I’ll ask some questions, interact with the questions, point to other authors, and conclude with a few resources to consider for further study.
Who are these evangelists?
According to Petrusek, “every baptized Catholic is called to be an evangelist.”[7] I wonder how many readers in Petrusek’s audience encounter that statement with the question, “Does that mean me, and if so, how?” This common call, for all who embrace faith in Christ, comports with what the University of Virginia’s James Davison Hunter, founding director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, says about Christians and their calling: “To be Christian is to be obliged to engage the world, pursuing God‘s restorative purposes over all of life, individual and corporate, public and private. This is the mandate of creation.”[8]
What about the word “evangelist” itself?
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the term “evangelist” is not “so much an order in the early ecclesiastical hierarchy as a function.”[9] But a function of what? Evangelization? If so, what is evangelism? “‘Evangelism’ is proclaiming God’s ‘evangel’ or ‘gospel.’”[10] What is the gospel? The word “gospel” comes “from the Old English godspel ‘good tale.’”[11] It simply means “good news.” In our case, we aren’t talking about good news of a new product or helpful service. Instead, we are talking about the good news of Jesus Christ.
Petrusek’s ultimate goal is that Christians would responsibly (and urgently) evangelize in the public sector in a way that makes room for people to encounter Jesus Christ. This is Petrusek’s “goal behind the goal”[12] in writing this book. He wants the Church “to offer the culture an escape from hyper-politicization by presenting an alternative to thinking—and acting—ideologically altogether. It is to invite the culture into a relationship with a man who calls everyone to do everything possible to fix the world while also unambiguously declaring, ‘My kingdom is not from this world’ (John 18:36).”[13]
But what about evangelizing the political culture?
Why should we do what no one seemingly ever wants to do, especially during the holidays? Why religion and politics? Petrusek argues that “engaging in public debate…is one way to evangelize…and it is a way…that is becoming increasingly necessary as society becomes more politicized.”[14] It is his belief that “the Church has a unique opening to re-enter the sociopolitical fray, re-engage the secular mind, and call the culture back to Christ—provided we can effectively understand and respond to the contemporary ideological battlefield.”[15] The spirit behind Petrusek’s concerns comes from a good place. Think about how often Christians make statements that show a LACK of understanding. The late missiologist David Hesselgrave believed Christians need to communicate in a way that reflects “a true understanding of the plight of modern man and an empathy with his dilemmas.”[16]
But this brings up more questions.
Engaging in public debate may indeed be one way to “call the culture back to Christ.” But is calling the culture back to Jesus what we need to do? Maybe a better question is this: If the scope of God’s mission[17] is so comprehensive as to include culture, what is a posture Christians could take to engage with the culture’s socio-political ideologies? How do Christians debate ideas in the political sphere and to what end? Really, how should Christians think about “evangelization” in the public square? To take steps toward answering that question, I’ll conclude with statements from Thomas Kidd and Tim Keller, and then I’ll list some resources in the footnotes. Dr. Kidd is a respected historian and professor at Baylor University who also serves with Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR). Dr. Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC and wrote a great deal around the subject of gospel, culture, and the Christian’s calling or role within society.
First, Dr. Kidd…
“It seems that one of conservative American Christians‘ main problems is an inability to appreciate their dual citizenships in the city of God and the earthly city, to use Saint Augustine‘s terminology. While the Christian‘s true citizenship is in heaven, she or he also has an important, albeit subordinate and temporary, residency in the earthly city. Christians have to live out their years in the earthly city, where they must pursue common earthly goods with those who, in the Christians‘ view, do not belong to the city of God. Among the most important of those goals is public peace and cooperation.”[18]
Now, Dr. Keller…
“The most powerful way to show people the truth of Christianity is to serve the common good. The monks in the Middle Ages moved out through pagan Europe, inventing and establishing academies, universities, and hospitals. They transformed local economies and cared for the weak through these new institutions. They didn‘t set out to ‘get control’ of a pagan culture. They let the gospel change how they did their work and that meant they worked for others rather than for themselves. Christians today should be aiming for the same thing.”[19]
Resources for further exploration…
See the footnotes.[20]
[1] Matthew R. Petrusek, Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond To The Political Culture. Park Ridge, IL: Word on Fire Institute, 2023. Kindle version.
[2] Petrusek, 478 of 483.
[3] Petrusek wants to “show how political debate, done with the right tools, can help win minds to a conception of the good that is, in fact, good, one that establishes a moral and political framework that gives us the best shot at creating a civil environment that engenders individual and communal flourishing, to the extent it’s possible in a fallen world.” (Petrusek, 17 of 483)
[4] Petrusek, 149 of 483.
[5] Petrusek, 149 of 483.
[6] In her post “More Tensions to Manage” (after reading The Identity Trap) Jen wrote, “One of the things that I believe can help with dialogue in such situations is to approach with wonder and curiosity rather than declarations.” See Jen Vernam’s post here: https://blogs.georgefox.edu/dlgp/more-tensions-to-manage/.
[7] Petrusek, 17 of 483.
[8] James Davison Hunter, To Change the World, New York: Oxford, 2010, 4.
[9] See The Catholic Encyclopedia here: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/
[10] See https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/biblical-evangelism/.
[11] Bartholomew, Craig G. and Goheen, Michael W. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004. 130-131.
[12] Petrusek, 17 of 483.
[13] Petrusek, 17 of 483.
[14] Petrusek, 21 of 483.
[15] Petrusek, 7 of 483.
[16] David J. Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally: An Introduction to Missionary Communication, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991, 220.
[17] According to Michael Goheen, “this is the mission of God: to restore the creation and the life of humanity from the ravages of sin. The church’s function in this story is to participate in God’s mission; we are caught up in God’s own work of restoration and healing. This defines the identity and role of the church.” (Goheen, Michael, A Light to the Nations, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011,19)
[18] Thomas S. Kidd, American Christians and Islam: Evangelical Culture and Muslims from the Colonial Period to the Age of Terrorism. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009, 167.
[19] See: https://timothykeller.com/blog/2010/1/27/work-and-cultural-renewal.
[20] Resources for further exploration:
To Change the World, by James Davison Hunter. Hunter argues for “faithful presence” rather than calling the culture back to Jesus. I wrote a review of the book back in 2011 for PRISM Magazine, which can be read here: https://www.vocationalstewardship.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/PRISM_witherington-review.pdf
A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, by Miroslav Volf
Every Good Endeavor, by Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf
“Lausanne Occasional Paper: The Willowbank Report: Consultation on Gospel and Culture” See: https://lausanne.org/occasional-paper/lop-2
The Challenge of Jesus; Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is, by N.T. Wright. Wright writes a great deal about the kingdom of God, as well as how to approach our vocational life in light of who Jesus is.
About the Author
Travis Vaughn
6 responses to “Evangelization and The Public Square”
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Travis,
There is so much depth to your post and much to think about. “Christians need to communicate in a way that reflects “a true understanding of the plight of modern man and an empathy with his dilemmas.”[16]” This quote speaks deeply to our needed response. I just wonder what God’s empathy looks like? At times he responded with grace and other times with anger. I struggle with when to simply be silent and demonstrate unconditional love and when to respond with authority especially when it affects people negatively. In my post, I reflected on Daniel living in a pagan culture. He obviously didn’t continually try to, as you quoted Keller, “gain control of the pagan culture”, he obviously gained respect and authority while living in it so that when he did have to respond against the tide, it made a difference. However, he was still thrown in the lion’s den because he visibly denied the King’s decree. Knowing how to respond takes much wisdom. What helps you know how to respond when you are faced with situations where your theology is challenged? Or when you see an ideology played out in a harmful way?
You asked, “What helps you know how to respond when you are faced with situations where your theology is challenged?” Part of my answer is…it depends (that’s probably not a great answer)? I know my theology…which has, of course, morphed over time…has been challenged by members of my own extended family, certainly far more times that it has been challenged in public discourse. What has helped me (when I’ve responded graciously) has to do with remembering that my hope and trust is in Christ and not what others — including extended family — think of me and my theological reflections. Other times, I have not responded as graciously, and that has required repentance.
Your second question was… “Or when you see an ideology played out in a harmful way?” I remember a conversation I had with a friend during the year before Trump was elected to office. The harm I saw was the dissension he caused with the way he went about going from person to person to argue his case.There was something that my friend did not agree with (the details aren’t important) with how our church leadership was handling a particular issue. He eventually left the church. The issue, in his mind, had become an ultimate thing…including the way his “ideology” (he didn’t use that word, of course) needed to be addressed by the church. I remember, in that conversation, that I wanted to NOT burn the bridges to this man, and so I kept challenging the WAY he came to his conclusions instead of attacking him personally. I used a more socratic way of addressing his reasoning, and I consciously tried to keep his ideas separate from him as a person, someone made in the image of God and deserving to be treated with dignity and respect AND as a friend.
First of all Great post! (I am not just saying that because I got a shout out!)
I really liked Petrusek’s work. Primarily because he is giving words to the dysfunction I think we all see around us. But, your statement: “It is to invite the culture into a relationship with a man who calls everyone to do everything possible to fix the world while also unambiguously declaring, ‘My kingdom is not from this world’” was intriguing to me and it got me thinking:
When I think about a culture, I think about it not as being bad or good, but just a reflection of the values of the members of that culture. If I am right, what is Petrusek really asking us to do here? Is it to change the values of the people? By debating ideologies, are we addressing the symptom, or the cause of the issue?
Ha! Look at that: more questions!
Jen, you ask great questions! I think what Petrusek is asking Christians (Catholics…which seem to be his audience) to do is to “call the culture back to Christ.” (Petrusek’s words). I think he sees our current cultural situation as one that is out of alignment with the values of the kingdom of God. The problem is that — I think — his premise is off. Does he assume that our western / North American cultural context is / has been a “Christian” cultural context? I think his framework needs to be re-framed a bit. Check out Tim Clark’s post and the conversation around whether we are living in Babylon or Israel. I think Tim’s reflection is super helpful.
Of course, your question about debating ideologies, addressing the symptom or the cause…brings up more questions. What does it look like to be in the world but not of the world? To be citizens of the heavenly city but residents of the earthly city at the same time? Does winning ideological arguments actually make room for people to be more open to embracing Christ? Does Jeremiah 29:4-7 provide a better framework…if we are living in Babylon?
Travis, I feel like you captured and articulated the questions I was trying to ask so well. As I’d only inspectional read the book this week I felt at a loss for engaging this deeply. Thanks for encouraging us that there is a third way to engage culture that doesn’t ignoring/capitulating to it or trying to “conquer” it.
“The most powerful way to show people the truth of Christianity is to serve the common good. The monks in the Middle Ages moved out through pagan Europe, inventing and establishing academies, universities, and hospitals. They transformed local economies and cared for the weak through these new institutions. They didn‘t set out to ‘get control’ of a pagan culture. They let the gospel change how they did their work and that meant they worked for others rather than for themselves. Christians today should be aiming for the same thing.”[
I think this quote is amazing. God looked at the earth and said it was Good! I think of the saying “so heavenly minded they are no earthly good!”. In the end it seems to come down to power and control. Thank you for all the research and resources you gave:)