Chameleon Christianity: Moving Beyond Safety and Conformity

by Dick Keyes

Book Overview

Keyes examines the perils of polarization-accommodation or tribalism-and provides a biblical way to engage and transform society. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080105866X
• ISBN13: 9780801058660
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Hourglass Book Pub.
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

An important read

Dick Keyes book focuses on how Christians can remain distinctive ("salt") while still proclaiming Christ ("light") in an appropriate way. The book touches on many important issues, most of which are discussed in limited fashion. Nonetheless, I found the book interesting, accessible, and worthwhile. I strongly recommend it, particularly for church leaders.

Salt and light or chameleons and musk oxen?

Only 112 pages long, this book is a deep yet very readable treatment of sometimes uncomfortable topics. The title comes from one of two errors Keyes sees the modern evangelical/conservative church making, the temptation to adapt so much to the culture around it as to lose its own distinctive identity, failing to truly salt the earth as Christ commands. The book also deals with an opposite tendency to be avoided, that of being "musk oxen" tribalists who so shelter themselves from "the world" that they never reach out with the light of Christ. This is an excellent read for all evangelical, conservative Christians and would be a good resource for anyone preparing a sermon or study series on Matthew 5:13-16. It would also make a good primary small group text for those interested in considering their own congregation's response to the immediate community and to the culture at large.

Christians Take Heed!

Dick Keyes draws on his extensive experience in community to formulate a telling synopsis of the Church's reactions to the culture around it. This book is a fantastic review of church behaviour and guide for getting it right in the future. I found this book ethusing because it speaks right into the problems, whose effects I had felt in my own christian experience. I recommend it for any christian, any church leader or christian group leader who truely wants to be relevant without being indetectable through over accomodation of the current culture.