Adams, Lawrence E.

The results of the 2000 presidential election dramatically illustrated a fact that came as no surprise: We the people of the United States of America are polarized-politically and morally.

Given this split, what is the public role of the church in our pluralistic society? How can the church have a voice in the public square despite the internal and external antagonism it often faces?

In Going Public, Lawrence Adams thoughtfully and thoroughly addresses these questions. He asks whether or not it is necessary for American society to have a public ethic and sense of the common good in order to sustain civic public life. Is such a public philosophy even possible? And if it is not, how does the church fulfill its public responsibilities?

Going Public encourages Christians to understand our culture not only so that we might fulfill the biblical mandate to understand the times in which we live but also engage public life responsibly and in a manner true to the vocation of the church.