Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus has been cropped from the picture.

This cropping process spoiled the chances for Christians to enjoy all the riches of historic, orthodox faith by placing themselves in the center of the Story. It is no wonder American Christians are bored and longing for renewal. Conclusion My journey brought me to an important plateau. I had found the sources of decline represented in three contemporary methods: Traditional, Pragmatic, and Emerging, each of which is formed by the cultural forces that shaped it, the era it wants to return to, and the antagonists with which it contends. The Traditional Method says, “Place more emphasis on a Rationalistic use of the Bible, through a personal-salvation focus of the atonement, in order to defeat our antagonists. Christians will be restored to vibrant faith if we go back to what worked in one of the nostalgic eras.”

The Pragmatic Method says, “Make a better marketing appeal through programs, presentation, and activities for the sake of Christ. Come up with better ideas to draw people in.”

The Emerging Method says, “Be more relevant to Postmodern culture for the sake of Christ. Go back to what the Church was before Constantine and restore the Church to what it should be.”

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