Evangelicalism was great--for its time.

For a growing number of Christians weaned on modern evangelicalism, the subculture and absolutism that accompany the dogma no longer fit. When asked, "Are you a Christian?" we find ourselves responding, "That depends on what you mean by ‘Christian.’"

Dave Tomlinson, a rather "outside-the-box" Anglican priest in London, caused a major stir in the UK in 1995 with the release of The Post-Evangelical. We North Americans weren’t ready for his book then. But now, almost a decade later, large numbers of North American believers are finding it increasingly difficult to classify our faith, especially into terms like "evangelical," " liberal," or "conservative."

Could there be something else? Something new?

This is not about a cloaked move to liberalism. Or a full-frontal dive into relativism. Instead, The Post-Evangelical actually represents a step toward, rather than away, from one’s evangelical roots, exploring controversial topics such as:

· Inerrancy of Scripture: Looking at the Bible as God’s story
· Truth: How do we know it, or can we know it?
· The World: Can we actually enjoy ourselves while down here?
· Liberal vs. Conservative: Getting beyond labels

For some this will come as a dangerous threat - proof that we’re surely on that clichéd "slippery slope.". For others, the many who’ve been wondering if there’s a version of Christianity to which they can still ascribe, these words will come as a refreshing and potentially surprising relief - an "I’m not alone" oasis. Either way, the thoughts on these pages will bring about feisty discussion and reflective thought."

"For some," says Dave Tomlinson, "The post-evangelical impulse does not necessarily imply a move away from Christian orthodoxy or evangelical faith – though it does for some. Rather it demonstrates that in order to remain true to a tradition, we must come to terms with its changing cultural context so that an authentic expression of that tradition can be found – “you have to change to stay the same”, as Maggi Dawn puts it in The Post-Evangelical Debate. Yet experiencing change can be uncomfortable and confusing.

Maggi suggests that post-evangelicals may sometimes share the experience of Topsy in Uncle Tom’s Cabin: “How can I know what I mean until I hear what I say?” The Post-Evangelical was an attempt to articulate the experience, thoughts, and feelings of post-evangelicals, as well as to help them understand, refine, and critique their experiences.

The Post-Evangelical was always intended to be the beginning of a journey, not the end. The book is, in fact, a pastoral essay directed at people who struggle with the restrictions in evangelical theology, spirituality, and church culture—yet who still want to journey with the Christian faith.