"Following" (Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin)

TITLE: Following (Pastoring for Life: Theological Wisdom for Ministering Well)
AUTHOR: Jason Byassee and Andria Irwin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (208 pages).
 

Even with technological advances, there is almost always a constant divide between two poles. There are the Technological Luddites and the Technophiles. There are the modernists and the mystics. In a digital age, there are digital immigrants and digital natives. These are some of the distinctions between the old and the new forms of thinking. In a book written by a digital immigrant (Byassee) and a digital native (Irwin), we get a fascinating conversation about what discipleship means in a digital age. While getting online is easy, discerning what is going on is not so straightforward. In the area of discipleship, learning how to discern is increasingly important as many Christians go online and interact more on the Internet. Theologically, one of the biggest heresies throughout history was Gnosticism. This heresy is basically about dualistic views of life, seeing earthly things as evil and heavenly things as good. Salvation is thus a matter of running away from this world into the real good one. It is still occurring today to fuel any inclination toward escapism especially in times of trouble. Closely related to Gnosticism is Manicheism, something that had influenced St Augustine in his earlier days. This heresy is not as extreme as Gnosticism but still retains semblances of Gnostic beliefs into seeing some things as good and some things as evil. The Truth is, God has created creation as good, and right theology needs to discern what is good and fallen, against what the heresies claimed as inherently or naturally evil. The authors here seek to find a balance between the two heresies so as to make sense of what is theologically true and coherent with the human experience. In an age where the online environment is threatening to pull people toward any heretical extremes, they urge readers to learn to refrain, to restrain, and to rest from constant online engagement, without jettisoning the usefulness of technology. They also show us how to discern what are the things that can and cannot be done online. One of the key questions posed is:  "How might we use technology, perhaps despite its intentions, to trick ourselves into a more embodied life of discipleship?"

"Parenting Generation Screen" (Jonathan McKee)

TITLE: Parenting Generation Screen: Guiding Your Kids to Be Wise in a Digital World
AUTHOR: Jonathan McKee
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2021, (208 pages).

Did you know that 10 is the average age a kid gets a phone in America? Did you know that the most common reason why parents give kids a smartphone so early is to anticipate emergencies? By the time a kid turns 13, nearly three-quarters of his contemporaries would already have a phone with a screen. How do you parent a young child in a smartphone era? Experts have said that parents ought to wait until kids are older and more mature before giving them the phones. Many caved in to their children's pleas while others simply do not know how to respond to the demand tsunami. Sadly, this has led to uncontrolled and unlimited use of the smartphones by children totally oblivious to the dangers of the Internet. So the key question for parents is this: What are we going to do? Author Jonathan McKee begins by cautioning us not to look for quick fixes. Instead, develop a connection with our kids before correction. Love needs to come before limits; bonding before boundaries; and communication before commandments. Urging us to pause before confiscating the devices, begin with conversation with our kids. That means learning not just to express our concerns but also to understand what our kids are going through. Then there is the question of what age is best to give our kids smartphones. With peer pressure and the torrent of requests, parents will find it increasingly difficult to deny this request. Plus, screen gadgets nowadays are everywhere. They are in computers, laptops, tablets, small gadgets, TV screens, and even in vehicles! If we say no to one, how do we consistently maintain our stance for the others? Perhaps, it is more important to show kids the reasons and the thinking process instead of plainly a yes or a no answer. We have heard scientific evidence about kids staying up late at night and how screens stimulate their brain activity. This in turn affects our children's mental health and sleep patterns which could lead to depression and emotional problems. Then there is social media and the seductive attraction to fame, game, and all kinds of exposure, including illicit ones. 

"Christians in a Cancel Culture" (Joe Dallas)

TITLE: Christians in a Cancel Culture: Speaking with Truth and Grace in a Hostile World
AUTHOR: Joe Dallas
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2021, (208 pages).

Opposition to the gospel is nothing new. It could be direct persecution, like in the Early Church. It could also be indirect insinuation in the form of cynical comments or sarcasm. Both forms of hostility are alive and well today. While physical persecution happens mostly in closed countries like North Korea, open criticism and condemnation occur daily whenever Christians attempt to speak against worldly values. In the 60s, when Christians speak about a Christian perspective of a particular issue, it was generally accepted in a "business as usual" manner. Then comes the 90s culture of cynicism, where the same issues in the past need to be defended. Apologists grew in number as more people attempted to engage a generation of cynicism. Today, the tide has been turned completely around that Christians no longer can speak about such issues freely. Their rights to expressing the same views of the past are increasingly being "canceled." Author Joe Dallas has been observing such a "cancel culture" trend. He sees how Big Tech is playing the role of censorship to "streamline" views they deem unsuitable. At the same time, they are lenient toward those who mirror their views and "cancel" those who don't. While the natural instinct is to fight back forcefully, Dallas gently guides us toward a loving rational response. Convicted that the Bible today is alive, relevant, and potent, the primary purpose of this book is to equip Christians with skills to respond with grace in a hostile climate. The first five chapters provide some background on the formidable challenges of today that tend to blackmail Christians into silence. The second part of the book focuses on the knowledge of biblical truths and wisdom about rules of engagement. For thirty years, the author had encountered countless opposition and he shares from his wealth of real-world experience.