Living at the Crossroads

“In this book, the authors show students how to recognize and gradually understand more fully the relevance of the living Word of God for their living, working, and studying in these complex and often bewildering times. If I still had university-age children, I would be very pleased if they received their basic introduction in academics from these two trustworthy and deeply engaged Christian educators.”

“If you haven’t been able to keep up with all the books on a Christian worldview that have appeared in recent years, now is the time to act. Read this book. Goheen and Bartholomew not only have made use of all the other worldview books but also have written a volume that distinguishes itself. Illuminating our times with historical perspective, biblical depth, and social breadth, the authors show what a biblical worldview should mean for us today.”

“As the title implies, this book shows that a Christian worldview is not merely something of intellectual importance, but it has relevance to the whole of life. Clearly written and powerfully argued, Living at the Crossroads is rooted in biblical faith but reaches out to engage the contemporary world in a historically informed way. This is essential reading for thoughtful Christians who wish to live out the gospel and love God with all of their being.”

“The concept of ‘Christian worldview,’ let alone ‘biblical worldview,’ has more often been invoked than helpfully defined. In this stimulating, well-informed, and practical sequel to The Drama of Scripture, Goheen and Bartholomew once again demonstrate their remarkable effectiveness at articulating accessibly an understanding of Christian identity in the West that is both scripturally grounded and, notably, shaped by the Reformed intellectual tradition in its ecumenical context.”

“This book means to put genuine life back into worldview studies. Bartholomew and Goheen present a Reformational world-and-life view with missional dynamic. Biblical theology and an evangelizing church enter fully into their reflection on following Jesus in every sphere of human society in today’s mixed-up, deteriorating world culture. The authors bring redemptive insight to bear upon Western history, business, politics, art, and spirituality as well as the resurgence of Islam, and they do it in clear, passionate, down-to-earth language. Living at the Crossroads is basic, an invigorating challenge to anyone who would become a mature disciple of Jesus Christ.”

“Knowing where you have come from is nearly as important as knowing where you want to go. Goheen and Bartholomew trace the deep roots of our contemporary Western worldview in that kind of easy, broad-brush comprehensiveness that makes one exclaim, ‘Yes of course, that’s exactly the way things are—and why!’ But alongside that, they do an equally good job in presenting the biblical worldview as the story that tells it like it really is, for life, the universe, and everything. That’s the way things are—but as God sees them. The combination powerfully forces us to see the dissonance between the two, and the stark choice that Christians need to make. Which story do we live by? Which road do we travel from the crossroads? But the book is far from all theory. It grounds the challenge of living out the Christian story in a variety of very practical, very up-to-date, areas of life in the world around us. This is a book filled with eye-opening insight, biblical nourishment, practical challenge, and robust hope. It turns the mission of God into our mission in the world and compels us to make some radical choices.”

“Finally, a worldview text that moves incisively beyond mere theory. Living at the Crossroads is profound and practical, intelligent and warmly pastoral as it proceeds from a comprehensive understanding of the biblical story to an insightful engagement with twenty-first-century issues. Goheen and Bartholomew write out of their deep missional commitment with admirable clarity. They beckon us into a faithful and relevant involvement with complex issues, including globalization, postmodernity, consumerism, and the resurgence of Islam. Living at the Crossroads will stir you to embrace both unbearable tension and unprecedented opportunities to bring genuine hope to a waiting world. It is a must read for all who long to develop a worldview shaped by God’s word.”

“Living at the Crossroads is a landmark book. It is informed by wide and deep scholarship and motivated by a radical and passionate commitment to a missional understanding of the gospel in its relationship to contemporary Western culture. Though dealing with some of the seminal issues of Western (and now global) history and civilization, it is written in an engaging and accessible style. I predict that this profoundly biblical book will become a lodestar for a new generation of Christians worldwide who are serious about faithfully engaging culture in the name of Jesus Christ.”