A Peculiar People
Encyclopedia
A Peculiar People: The Church As Culture in a Post-Christian Society (1996) is a book by Rodney Clapp
.
In the book Clapp explores the changing role of the Christian Church
in light of a changing North American culture. Clapp argues against a church that has been co-opted by the larger culture. As such he argues that the church should stand as a unique or peculiar culture that can then critique the larger culture.
A contingent aspect of this that Clapp argues for is the notion that the church needs to shift its understand of itself from a collection of individual
s each with their own understanding, ideas, and values. For the church to be culture it must be understood as community
.
Clapp argues that the church should be transformative in the world via living as an alternative culture rather than through political means. In essence his position is that by living a unique form of life in the world the church can bear witness to another way, and in bearing witness it can bring positive change to the larger culture.
Rodney Clapp
Rodney R. Clapp is a Christian editor and author.He was an associate editor for Christianity Today and until 1999 was the senior editor for academic and general books at InterVarsity Press...
.
In the book Clapp explores the changing role of the Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
in light of a changing North American culture. Clapp argues against a church that has been co-opted by the larger culture. As such he argues that the church should stand as a unique or peculiar culture that can then critique the larger culture.
A contingent aspect of this that Clapp argues for is the notion that the church needs to shift its understand of itself from a collection of individual
Individual
An individual is a person or any specific object or thing in a collection. Individuality is the state or quality of being an individual; a person separate from other persons and possessing his or her own needs, goals, and desires. Being self expressive...
s each with their own understanding, ideas, and values. For the church to be culture it must be understood as community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
.
Clapp argues that the church should be transformative in the world via living as an alternative culture rather than through political means. In essence his position is that by living a unique form of life in the world the church can bear witness to another way, and in bearing witness it can bring positive change to the larger culture.