[lightman]

But no branch of Christianity or any traditional monotheistic religion believes God calls His people to absolute autonomy and isolation. Traditional religion always involves a community and institutions.

Jesus began with a community of 12.

[Bishop_Malachi]

Left leaning commentator Matthew Yglesias, who’s Jewish, tweeted today: “Think I’m becoming a Straussian/Putnamist who instrumentally wants to get everyone to go to church again.” Columnist Ross Douthat, who’s Catholic, responded: “Be the change you seek.” Yglesias retorted: “Not gonna sell out the chosen people like that! But I’m gonna go neocon and root for the Christians vs the post-Christians.”

______________________________________________________-

It’s amazing how someone mired in academics just can’t help but post pedantic gibberish.

[Phinneous]

I’m launching ultra-orthodox synagogue-a-palooza. Yarmulkas from sea to shining sea....

[L,TOWM]

Ardently religious people disconnected from great traditions and multigenerational religious institutions generally will lack the wisdom they need to sustain healthy civic life.

Bullfeathers...
Those folks are doing more outside of the church walls than most pastors would ever counsel their parishioners to do. The 'ardently religious' (I'll translate that to "Disciple of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit) are doing God's work -- checking with Him every morning and...
Buying groceries for people without enough
Providing peer counseling to recovering addicts
Spending time with kids, or old folks, or the homeless and doing what they can.
Making art and literature that brings glory to God instead of promoting filth.

God is getting his followers used to doing their thing on the down low and without a MA(Div) tossing out the interpretation to Romans that hasn't really changed much in 2,000 years...
I'm not too enthused about this dude wanting to make a church a well behaved social club.

Sounds good to say, until you start actually trying to find some faith and humility.

[caseinpoint]

So, if I am reading this author and Yglesias right, they promote traditional churches not for their eternal salvific role but because they can be counted on to clean up the secular world’s messes? Just a tool?

[Ransomed]

Christianity doesn’t seem to thrive in cultures with amazing and unprecedented social conditions like the poorest people being the most likely to be obese.

Freegards

[metmom]

Funny, I don’t see any institutionalized churches or religions in the book of Acts.

[caww]

Author states...”Christianity has ‘a duty to society’ to help create the language and architecture for constructive civil life that benefits all.”.....

Thats a very broad brush which I don’t actually see as a Christian Duty. Though we can certainly influence society.