Anthony B. Robinson, Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations. Eerdmans, 2008.
Prequel: Robinson, Transforming Congregational Culture
Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is a sequel to Robinson’s best-selling volume, Transforming Congregational Culture. While written with the concerns of mainline Protestant denominations in mind, the insights are transferrable to congregations of other heritages and traditions.
Robinson’s passion for the “third way” is rooted in his earliest years of ministry where he disdained “false dichotomies,” e.g. between personal transformation and social justice, or spirituality and service among those in need. He wanted to see beyond these and other predictable polarities. He believes this same quest is important at the dawn of the twenty-first century with its polarized social script, or “culture wars,” where issues are phrased in terms of polarized alternatives such as pro-life vs. pro-choice, pro-growth vs. pro-environment, pro-peace vs. pro-defense. The church, he says, participates in this with labels such as evangelical vs. liberal, megachurch vs. traditional, emergent vs. established, contemporary vs. traditional, praise vs. classical, etc. He asks, “Is a third way possible?” Robinson summarizes others who have proposed answers to this question, such as Diana Butler Bass’s intentional congregation, Darrell Guder’s missional model, Michael Foss’s culture of discipleship, Brian McLaren’s generous orthodoxy, and Barbara Brown Taylor’s “church-as-community-of-human-transformation.” Regardless of the model, he says congregations that embody an emerging third way are not camped as either left or right, liberal or conservative, because their primary identity is “Christian.”
In an attempt to frame this third way, Robinson utilizes the “set theory” as proposed in one of his earlier volumes, What’s Theology Got to Do With It? Here he distinguishes between three “sets” of congregations: the open, the bounded, and the centered. Open congregations welcome everyone and celebrate all different kinds of beliefs, where people can believe anything they want and still participate. But there is no center, and often these churches find it difficult to bring the people together into any kind of meaningful action. Bounded congregations are the polar opposite of the open set. Where the open has no boundaries, the bounded has many clear and heavy boundaries. This gives a clear identity, but it is often too confining, with little tolerance for differences or any serious lines of questioning. A third alternative, however, is what Robinson calls the centered set. Centered congregations have a clear center, but with open boundaries. As long as everything is moving congruently with the center, things are good. Leaders do not police the boundaries as much as they define and monitor the center. “This is who we are and what we are about. You decide if it’s right for you.” This third way should not be seen as a compromise between alternatives, but as a path that has a vitality all its own.
Robinson argues that it is culturally needful to follow this third path. Our period is often referred to as “transitional,” a time when old concepts and realities – Christendom and modernity – are ending. But no clear replacement has emerged. As Phyllis Tickle has said, “we know where we have been but have no idea where we are going.” A centered path offers a more certain path in uncertain times.
To facilitate the third way, Robinson proposes ten conversations, each with its own chapter and “conversation/reflection” prompts throughout.
- It’s Not About You – focuses on the huge shifts that have occurred in North American culture and their impact on religion, spirituality, and churches
- And Yet…It ‘Is’ About You – discusses the fact that although we are not in control of the seismic cultural shifts, it is up to us to respond by moving beyond lament and complaint, bewilderment and apathy, toward becoming engaged in creative response to our new time.
- A New Heart – challenges the temptation of churches in renewal to settle in on superficial changes such as new programs or strategies without ever getting to the heart of faith experience and relationship with God through evangelism, worship, Scripture, and theology
- Who Shall Lead Them? – addresses the need for strong and capable leadership, going beyond the chaplain or scholar models.
- Why Are We Here? – asks congregations to move from maintenance to mission, and to renew their understanding of why they exist.
- Write the Vision – encourages churches to build upon the mission conversation to arrive at a biblically-informed, community-supported clarity about their purpose, and to put it in writing. There is special emphasis here in taking on the most serious challenges congregations face relative to their vision.
- Let’s Get (Less) Organized! – All churches will have their special key challenges to realize their vision. A fairly universal issue is how the church is governed and organized.
- The Church and the Public Square – addresses how the culturally marginalized church can participate in the public conversation about morality and society, justice and the common good, spiritual values and a new commons. This seeks a third alternative between triumphalism and quietism.
- Death and Resurrection – acknowledges that not all churches will be successful at renewal efforts, but can be lead to die well and give birth to new kingdom life.
- Where Do We Start – helps congregations assess their unique dynamics and target the best starting place for renewal.
Not all churches will have the same issues relative to renewal as described in this book. But interpreted through the lens one’s own faith heritage, these ten conversations provide an excellent reflective piece for church leaders as they prepare for the work of congregational transformation. The strength of this volume is that it places the task of church renewal in the context of the new cultural realities. Also, the concept of the “third way” is woven throughout the book, elevating the conversation away from the polarization often experienced by those who facilitate transformative work in their churches. This will probably not be the only book one needs in the path toward renewal, but any leadership will benefit from a good perusal of its contents.
From the Publisher
A sequel to his best-selling Transforming Congregational Culture (2003), Changing the Conversation offers Anthony Robinson’s latest work and thinking on congregational renewal and leadership. Robinson here invites church leaders and members into ten crucial conversations that will change their congregation’s culture and help them respond with greater vitality, effectiveness, and faithfulness to our postmodern culture and its challenges.
About the Author
Anthony B. Robinson currently teaches congregational leadership studies at Emmanuel College in Toronto. He is president of the Seattle-based Congregational Leadership Northwest and the author of nine books, including the award-winning What’s Theology Got to Do with It?
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