Andy Root: Evangelism in an Age of Despair

Tripp Fuller

So we’re back with my buddy Dr. Andrew Root and his brand new book ?Evangelism in the Age of Despair? – and no, before you ask, this is definitely not your typical door-to-door evangelism handbook. Andy’s doing what he does best here, which is taking some heavy theological machinery (theology of the cross, Charles Taylor, French philosophers you’ve never heard of) and making it speak to the very despair of our concrete cultural moment. The basic argument? Our whole pursuit-of-happiness project has been a spectacular failure, leaving us isolated and constantly chasing distractions. Perhaps the church’s calling isn’t to add happiness to people’s lives but to accompany them into their sorrow. It’s evangelism as consolation rather than conversion, which sounds both obvious and revolutionary at the same time. We dive into why the optimistic 90s crashed into our current age of anxiety, how social media turned authenticity into competitive rage, and what it might mean for pastors to be professionally human rather than professionally shiny. Plus, we got questions from actual Substack subscribers who read the thing, which is always dangerous territory. This will not make you feel better about anything, but it might make you think differently about what the gospel actually is.

?Join us at Theology Beer Camp this October 16-18 in St. Paul, MN.???? (Andy is coming too!)

?Andrew Root ?is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture, and younger generations. ?Some of his most recent books? are The Congregation in a Secular Age, The End of Youth Ministry? , The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need God, Faith Formation in a Secular Age, and Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies: Youth Ministry in the Age of Science . Andy has worked in congregations, parachurch ministries, and social service programs. He lives in St. Paul with his wife Kara, two children, Owen and Maisy, and their dog. When not reading, writing, or teaching, Andy spends far too much time watching TV and movies.

Previous Visits with Andy Root

• Incarnation as Resistance
• Life Together in Turmoil & Bonhoeffer’s Experiment in Community
• Resonance in an Accelerated Age
• Secular Mysticism & Identity Politics
• the Church after Innovation
• Churches and the Crisis of Decline
• Acceleration, Resonance, & the Counting Crows
• Ministry in a Secular Age
• Christopraxis with Andy Root
• Faith Formation in a Secular Age
• the Promise of Despair

Upcoming Online Class: Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost

“Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost” is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. Moving beyond traditional Western theological frameworks, we’ll explore feminist interpretations, global perspectives, and innovative approaches to understanding the Spirit in today’s worl Whether you’ve felt the Spirit was missing from yo faith journey or are simply curious to deepen your understanding, this class creates space for thoughtful discussion, personal reflection, and spiritual growth.

As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here.

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