Back in 2013, when this book first came out, I was working for a company that promoted InterVarsity Press (among other Christian publishers) to churches, and church staffs. I was immediately taken by the title of this IVP book, and lobbied to add Tyler Wigg-Stevenson's contribution to our eBlast calendar. No luck. The topic was deemed too far off the radar of our evangelical audience. And the author was hardly a household name.
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| Not sure Ron Sider's endorsement helped or hurt my case. |
Not only did the company choose to not promote the book, they didn't even order a review copy. I know, I know, a book salesman should avoid picking favorites. Y'gotta be able to persuasively present books you aren't personally interested in. Sigh.
Flash forward seven years. That book marketing company is now out of business—a familiar fate these days in the Christian product category. I've been blessed to get a job back in my longtime field of Christian entertainment, where one of my tasks is to place Christian movies and stand-up comedies on Amazon Prime. And so it was that while on Amazon's site one day, this book popped up on screen... and I ordered it.
I'd forgotten about Ron Sider's endorsement. I'd promoted a 1988 Tenth Anniversary Edition of "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger" while working for Word Publishing in Canada. I didn't agree with much in Sider's influential book. In fact, a few years later I enjoyed the terrific "Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider," written by David Chilton. So when I saw another book that appeared to challenge the current Social Justice fad among evangelicals, I was delighted. So despite the endorsement, I eagerly dug into "The World Is Not Ours To Save."
First up this author comes across as very likable. He tells of being raised in San Diego in a secular, liberal household by parents who were anti-war activists. But even before becoming a Christian, young Tyler was already living in San Francisco and working on the staff of a former Democrat US Senator. The story of his conversion involves a theophany, in which God speaks the seven words of Wigg-Stevenson's title (the publishers substituted "Ours" for "Yours"). His re-telling of the encounter sets the tone for what must surely be the most biblically- and Christ-centered "activist" book ever published.
Flash forward seven years. That book marketing company is now out of business—a familiar fate these days in the Christian product category. I've been blessed to get a job back in my longtime field of Christian entertainment, where one of my tasks is to place Christian movies and stand-up comedies on Amazon Prime. And so it was that while on Amazon's site one day, this book popped up on screen... and I ordered it.
I'd forgotten about Ron Sider's endorsement. I'd promoted a 1988 Tenth Anniversary Edition of "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger" while working for Word Publishing in Canada. I didn't agree with much in Sider's influential book. In fact, a few years later I enjoyed the terrific "Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider," written by David Chilton. So when I saw another book that appeared to challenge the current Social Justice fad among evangelicals, I was delighted. So despite the endorsement, I eagerly dug into "The World Is Not Ours To Save."
First up this author comes across as very likable. He tells of being raised in San Diego in a secular, liberal household by parents who were anti-war activists. But even before becoming a Christian, young Tyler was already living in San Francisco and working on the staff of a former Democrat US Senator. The story of his conversion involves a theophany, in which God speaks the seven words of Wigg-Stevenson's title (the publishers substituted "Ours" for "Yours"). His re-telling of the encounter sets the tone for what must surely be the most biblically- and Christ-centered "activist" book ever published.
I think Wigg-Stevenson's book is more for activists than for civilians. While making the case for temporal/political/global "peace," he isn't primarily trying to recruit garden-variety evangelicals to become activists. His main goal is to help other activists who are Christians keep Christ and His Kingdom front-and-center in their thinking, and allow the gospel to temper their earthbound activism. His bottom line on finding-the-freedom-to-do-good: the root of what ails the world is spiritual, and the best outcome we can expect from our political good deeds is temporary and tactical improvements in a fallen world.
A few of my favorite quotes:
• "Those who have aimed at utopia have often been the most effective at unleashing hell on earth."
• "Those who have aimed at utopia have often been the most effective at unleashing hell on earth."
• "No historically nuanced critique of Zionism undoes the fact that millions of Jews now make Israel their home, and their safety matters."
• "The most mundane work, if offered as genuine service to God, is greater by far than labor that seems outwardly kingdom-oriented but is self-glorifying."
The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 is labelled "The Limits Of Activism," which is nothing short of a wake-up call to Christ-followers who are activists.
Part 2 is "A Deeper Calling," and suggests a renewed vision of activism based on Micah 4:1-5. For one who is a convinced Christian activist, you could do a lot worse than this passage as a foundation of your efforts.
I confess that I do not see Activist among the gifts given the church by the Spirit. Of course "good deeds" are essential—almost a litmus test of genuine faith, per the Epistle of James. And any believer who feels called to work in politics or public service may be greatly used by God, provided they trust in the Lord and do good.
• "The most mundane work, if offered as genuine service to God, is greater by far than labor that seems outwardly kingdom-oriented but is self-glorifying."
The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 is labelled "The Limits Of Activism," which is nothing short of a wake-up call to Christ-followers who are activists.
Part 2 is "A Deeper Calling," and suggests a renewed vision of activism based on Micah 4:1-5. For one who is a convinced Christian activist, you could do a lot worse than this passage as a foundation of your efforts.
I confess that I do not see Activist among the gifts given the church by the Spirit. Of course "good deeds" are essential—almost a litmus test of genuine faith, per the Epistle of James. And any believer who feels called to work in politics or public service may be greatly used by God, provided they trust in the Lord and do good.
But I have a couple of least-favorite quotes too:
• "We must surely view imbalances in resource consumption as an example of Biblical injustice."
• "Micah preached that benefitting from inequality led to the judgment of God, citing 'dishonest scales' and the 'short ephah.'"
• "We must surely view imbalances in resource consumption as an example of Biblical injustice."
• "Micah preached that benefitting from inequality led to the judgment of God, citing 'dishonest scales' and the 'short ephah.'"
The notion that imbalance and/or inequality are in-and-of-themselves wicked or sinful is, at best, a novel biblical interpretation. But I see the two assertions above as originating in secular activism—generalizing backwards from disparate outcomes to arrive at "systemic" injustice. As Greg Boyd points out in "Satan And The Problem Of Evil," the problem isn't really systemic, but uncomfortably particular. It comes down to a personal choice made by an individual. If you're a butcher, keep your thumb off the scales. If you sell fabric, don't short your customers.
By itself, imbalance isn't evil, given that God bestows many different gifts and talents among us, his created beings. Still, "to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." If I'm sitting on a surplus, and am surrounded by neighbors in complete lack, Christ would have me be as generous as possible. But Jesus's story about the Good Samaritan talked about a needy person RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Even a child understands that eating extra food because kids in Somalia are starving makes no sense. But inviting a hungry neighbor kid to join my family for supper is exactly right. Don't paint everybody, say, with white skin, as evil-doers because their family budget is higher than that of a family in Lesotho.
The only other thing that struck me odd in "The World Is Not Ours To Save" was the dog that didn't bark. Nowhere does this book tackle the reality of spiritual opposition to efforts for peace and justice. Any ordained minister "fighting against" oppression and tyranny must surely have encountered demonic resistance. My fear is that activism continues to do battle against flesh and blood, not factoring in principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, or spiritual wickedness in high places. Alas, when I've heard activists talk about "systemic" evil, they are too often referring to conservative political philosophy. For a Christian activist, failure to identify the enemy is a glaring omission.
The only other thing that struck me odd in "The World Is Not Ours To Save" was the dog that didn't bark. Nowhere does this book tackle the reality of spiritual opposition to efforts for peace and justice. Any ordained minister "fighting against" oppression and tyranny must surely have encountered demonic resistance. My fear is that activism continues to do battle against flesh and blood, not factoring in principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, or spiritual wickedness in high places. Alas, when I've heard activists talk about "systemic" evil, they are too often referring to conservative political philosophy. For a Christian activist, failure to identify the enemy is a glaring omission.
An activist isn't a missionary. Activists work in the governmental and political arena. Yet Wigg-Stevenson, founding director of the Two Futures Project, "a movement of Christians for the global abolition of nuclear weapons," is an ordained minister. And he proposes a different kind of activism. I, who am not an activist, do not oppose activism, per se... because scripture reminds us there is no law against good deeds. So if folks will donate money to the "cause" you are pursuing, terrific. Just be honest with your donors, responsible with the money, ethical in all your dealings, and humble in your service.
I salute Tyler Wigg-Stevenson for offering a spirited case for Christian activism, and for positing a biblical foundation for improving their serve (as Chuck Swindoll once wrote). It's a good start for him and his fellow activists.