The Spiritual Society: What Lurks Beyond Postmodernism?

By Frederic W. Baue

Book Overview

In recent decades, American Christians have been subjected to a series of different worldviews, all of them hostile to biblical faith. And there are clear signs that a cultural shift is again taking... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1581342535
• ISBN13: 9781581342536
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Crossway
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

An Excellent Primer To Wet Your Appetite For More

rodboomboom of Dearborn, MI has already written a review that I could not surpass. I will just append these thoughts. The book should be read by anyone, layman, clergy or seminarian, who has lost their way in the morass of spirituality (that has nothing to do with God) and religiosity (pious sentimentality) that abounds these days and that can be found within any denomination. I would also recommend it to those free thinkers who find themselves toying with whatever a popular actor might be experimenting with today and makes them feel good. Although Baue's book is concise,and even easily understood, it has more meat on the bone than most popular books we find when entering the local book store / coffee shop. It is worth the brief time it takes to read it, and the benefits may last forever. In any event, it should encourage you to explore more. It might even get you wondering if the idea (being sold today by some with a dark agenda) that there are no absolute truths isn't true at all.

Macro View of History, Society & Church's Reaction

This is a vast undertaking, to look at history in its enormity and complexity, and find patterns, indicators that help provide direction and hope for our history, our society, our church.Such Baue succeeds in doing. His breadth of reading in history, society, literature and church are remarkable. Further, he is able with a succinct, tight writing style capsualize the salient conclusions and insights he wants to present.Taking his clues from discovery of sociologist Sorokin, he guides our tour through history using large systems of cultural change, breaking them down into Ideational phases (interest in things spiritual) and Sensate phases (interest in things material, of the senses).The author sees our society and history as in Transition from a declining Sensate time to an increasing Ideational phase. The Church of Christ should rejoice? Not quite yet, as Baue so accurately portrays, this is not all good news that some put it forward to be. Yes, increased interest in things spiritual, but not in the most healthy, true spiritual sense.The main thesis put forward is his clever coining of this new phase as the "Therian Age," using the greek word "there" for the beast of Revelation who portrays himself as love but turns out to punish the real love of God shown and believed in His church.Baue has clearly shown that postmodernism is not the enemy now. Past that, the world is entering a spiritual age, but a dangerous one in which everything is tolerated enthusiastically, except for the true spiritual entity, Christ's holy and apostolic church. Encouragement and hope are expressed, with tempered prognosis and well thought out responses suggessted.Could well be a "break through" book! Fascinating reading to be continually reflected upon and considered by God's set apart people!