Product Description

How should we live as dual citizens: citizens both of the kingdom of God and of our nation? How much should we involve ourselves in society and public life?

Many of us find integrated, whole-life discipleship very difficult. It is easier to live, not so much a double life as a dualistic one, where faith is a personal matter with little impact on work and other spheres of life.

Graham Cray shows that there are profound gospel reasons for taking seriously both our national life and our call to be Christian citizens. A nation's social health is a matter of Christian action and concern because it matters to God.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #265360 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From the Author
Introduction:

How should we live as 'dual citizens', citizens both of the kingdom of God and of our nation, in a rapidly changing world? In the light of the kingdom of God, what would be an appropriate Christian involvement in society and its public life?

Many Christians find integrated, whole-life discipleship very difficult. It is easier to live not so much a double life, but a dualistic one, where faith is a personal matter which has very little impact on work, civic participation and other more public areas of life. This is not necessarily hypocritical. Some Christians feel powerless to make any significant difference in the world and decide to keep their heads down, rather than get themselves into difficulty for little or no purpose. Others simply don't know what to do.

Some have an over-negative view of society, combined with an inadequate grasp of the gospel. In fact, this approach is based on a 'double negative': the world 'doesn't really matter' and 'it's bad anyway', and so should be avoided as much as possible. From this point of view, this world's only importance is to provide the context for evangelism, as the gospel is solely about heaven when we die. On the other hand, when society is examined, it is seen as a dangerous place, going from bad to worse: something for 'spiritual' Christians to avoid.

Mercifully, such attitudes are much less prevalent than they once were, thanks in part to initiatives like the London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity. But they have by no means disappeared from the churches. Both forms of dualism are based on an inadequate grasp of Scripture.

As we shall see, there are profound gospel reasons for taking seriously both our national life and our call to be Christian citizens. There are also good reasons for identifying the positive as well as the negative aspects of society. This book will identify ways in which our social health is under threat, but it will do so assuming that a nation's social health is a proper matter of Christian action and concern, because it matters to God.

Graham Cray, Bishop of Maidstone
March 2007

From the Back Cover
'Graham Cray has long been known as a perceptive watcher of culture. In this important and accessible book, he skilfully weaves together social science, biblical analysis and prophetic wisdom in offering a much-needed vision of public discipleship.'
Dr Graham Tomlin

'An excellent book: well researched, tellingly illustrated and powerfully but lovingly argued.'
Revd Julian Hardyman

About the Author
Graham Cray is the Bishop of Maidstone and the Bishop for Mission in the Diocese of Canterbury, and is currently chairman of the Soul Survivor Trust and a member of the Council of the Evangelical Alliance. He chaired the working party which wrote the Mission Shaped Church report on church planting and fresh expressions of church. Graham is married to Jackie and they have two daughters.