By Andrea Bailey Willits | Freelance writer and editor, Nashville, Tennessee. | February 2010
The Diversity Culture
Matthew Raley
Kregel Publications, 2009, 176 pp., $12.99,
Kregel.com
At the beginning of his well-crafted exploration of the social tension between evangelicals and today's diverse culture, Matthew Raley introduces readers to a nameless character at Café Siddhartha. This woman represents a growing demographic Christians don't know exactly how to deal with—people so different from themselves and hostile toward Christianity that starting a faith conversation can be terrifying. Unless believers dispel this fear, Raley says, they'll continue to react against a diverse culture rather than engage it. Offering specific guidelines for creating intentional dialogue, he educates evangelicals about the power of community, testimony and asking the right questions.
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Whether rubbing shoulders with an agnostic, Buddhist, or someone who lives by his or her own brand of "street postmodernism," pastors and laity can reference this book for a confident and meaningful interaction.
