A Burning House: Redeeming American Evangelicalism by Examining its History, Mission and Message

Social upheaval over the last decade or so has reminded us that there is still work for the church to do. At least that is how things would traditionally have been seen by evangelicals. Sadly these days debate over the place of social issues in relation to the gospel brings out the worst in many Christians. Social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube anecdotally reveal what many surveys tell us about ourselves. The truth is today Christians are deeply divided on what obligation, if any , we have in addressing such issues. Into this confusion steps Pastor Brandon Washington with his new book A Burning: House: Redeeming American Evangelicalism by Examining its History, Mission and Message. In it he takes up the task of reorienting us to our Evangelical roots.

Washington’s literary journey begins steeped in the history of Evangelicalism and points out how much of modern beliefs about what constitutes true evangelicalism is mistaken. He points out how ambiguity has contributed to our contemporary conundrum: "When a familiar word is unclear, we will, for good or ill, invent a definition. Even when it is wrong, a term’s popular use becomes its favored connotation." This mistaken perception has also led to much "aimless deconstruction". He points out that we have a conflation problem and that it has spiraled into our current tensions. Where "social activism stands out as a selectively orphaned marker" of Evangelicalism. This reality often has us celebrating "our oneness while thoughtlessly modeling apartheid".

Washington then continues to guide us into what I'd argue is the most significant part of our reorientation. He delves into the history, sociology, psychology, and theology that is necessary to understand our contemporary station, in order for us to properly apply Biblical theology. This part of A Burning House encompasses parts two and three. It is like a eureka moment as the pieces of the puzzle come together and the picture begins to take shape. The reason that we often miss the mark with our theology of evangelicalism is because it is an interdisciplinary enterprise. This section culminates with Washington pointing out how even the very Gospel has been domesticated. He introduces this with a story of a cultivated Pear tree in his front yard which I think beautifully illustrates the point. He goes on to explain how Jesus' work on the cross included the ascension and that has profound implications on “the good news”. Jesus reigning over His kingdom and the commission He gave us is why human behaviors still matter.

The final section of the book Repentance and Resurgence calls for responding Biblically to our errors. In this section Washington highlights how throughout the ages we have had godly models of Evangelicalism which he lists many of. He also shows how this undermines the tired old "men of their time" platitude that many appeal to in order to dismiss the behavior or beliefs of those that were inconsistent with Biblical values. He challenges the fundamentalist approach that highly favors orthodoxy above all else, the seductive nature and history of political entanglement, the reflections and contrast of the global Evangelical movement, and so much more.

In the end Brandon Washington accomplishes his original goal. Bringing awareness to the current state of Evangelical movement, which is akin to A Burning House. He helps us to see how we got here through a matrix of complex events, beliefs, and thinking. He then plots a path of escape from its present state and restoration of the movement back to its Biblical roots. On the journey there are so many quotable moments and unexpected topics of nuance. Yet Washington does all of this in an easy-to-read manner. This book is good for both those who already agree but need help to articulate the problem. As well as for those who disagree from a distance but want to take a closer look. For them this is a thoughtful case of the contrasting view.