Welcome to our next book, The Living Church by John Stott!
Comments on the Preface
In his acknowlegements Stott thanks his research assistant for helping write the Preface. It shows, as those few pages dont flow as well as Stott’s regular work – Chapter 1 is much more engaging!
Nonetheless, some points of note:
a) a good reminder regarding the church’s relationship to the world – not to ape the world, but to provide a counter-culture. But in developing this counter-culture, “we must listen to the voices of the world” so that we can respond sensitively, “though without compromise”. Sometimes I wonder whether we shy away from listening because we fear compromise. Yet Stott would have us listen with the purpose of responding in the best possible way – to give our unchanging message the best chance ina changing world.
b) it follows that Stott would have us be ‘radically conservative’. Conservative on the essentials, but as imaginative as possible on other things.
