Biblical Critical Theory

How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture

By: Christopher Watkin, Timothy Keller

Narrated by: Christopher Ashman

Length: 26 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

*With a foreword from Tim Keller*

A bold vision for Christians who want to engage the world in a way that is biblically faithful and culturally sensitive.

In Biblical Critical Theory, Christopher Watkin shows how the Bible and its unfolding story help us make sense of modern life and culture.

Critical theories exist to critique what we think we know about reality and the social, political, and cultural structures in which we live. In doing so, they make visible the values and beliefs of a culture in order to scrutinize and change them.

Biblical Critical Theory exposes and evaluates the often-hidden assumptions and concepts that shape late-modern society, examining them through the lens of the biblical story running from Genesis to Revelation, and asking urgent questions like:

• How does the Bible's storyline help us understand our society, our culture, and ourselves?
• How do specific doctrines help us engage thoughtfully in the philosophical, political, and social questions of our day?
• How can we analyze and critique culture and its alternative critical theories through Scripture?

Informed by the biblical-theological structure of Saint Augustine's magisterial work The City of God (and with extensive diagrams and practical tools), Biblical Critical Theory shows how the patterns of the Bible's storyline can provide incisive, fresh, and nuanced ways of intervening in today's debates on everything from science, the arts, and politics to dignity, multiculturalism, and equality. You'll learn the moves to make and the tools to use in analyzing and engaging with all sorts of cultural artifacts and events in a way that is both biblically faithful and culturally relevant.

It is not enough for Christians to explain the Bible to the culture or cultures in which we live. We must also explain the culture in which we live within the framework and categories of the Bible, revealing how the whole of the Bible sheds light on the whole of life.

If Christians want to speak with a fresh, engaging, and dynamic voice in the marketplace of ideas today, we need to mine the unique treasures of the distinctive biblical storyline.

Accompanying figures and bibliography are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Christopher Watkin (P)2023 Zondervan Academic

Anyone who values the Bible should read this!

Don't let the title fool you, this book is not simply an answer to Marxism or CRT. It is a comprehensive apologetic for being completely confident and unabashed in your faith in the God of scripture. Chris's book will help Christians take a step back and more rightly consider what scripture itself teaches us to be dogmatic about. this book will also be a compelling argument for any non-Christian to seriously consider where modern culture derives its sense of right and wrong and morality. If you have any hesitation to read this book, stop hesitating and read it!

Great analysis with lots of references

This was a great review of seeing through the lens of the bible to the culture and worldviews of today

Deep waters but worth the effort

So many useful and practical insights for life as a believer in this confusing modern age. I’m thankful for Watkin’s hard work on this volume.

Absolutely awesome and insightful

Absolutely awesome and insightful. He adds a well needed perspective on cultural theory. If you only read portions make it the first, 27, and 28 chapters
Again absolutely amazing read

Great book, but not for a Leyman.

Fantastic book, deeply thoughtful, and well written. I enjoyed it so much I am buying a hard copy as well. But, this is not a book just anyone can track and follow, but that’s ok. I would not change anything. Well done.

A Critical View of Modern Life

Absolutely awesome book. The content had me frequently jumping for a pen and paper to write a quote down. It definitely transformed my belief. Well done to the narrator, he read the book as I think ot was written or intended to be read.

A Contemporary Biblical View of Reality From Ancient Wisdom

Today’s society is becoming unhinged as clamoring yet heretical reductionist socio-political paradigms obscure reality and seduce many. The author demonstrates the superiority of the Bible to make sense of our past, present and future. The resulting model equips the church to rightly engage our culture with a sympathetic but more beneficial approach.

Intellectual to a fault

I think this was really well-written, but truthfully so much of it was over my head that I struggled to keep up with portions of it. I enjoyed it to a degree and thought Mr Watkin seemingly did a good job walking thru Scripture in the way he did, but I think I may have been a bit out of my league at times.

learn to diagonalize.

long but very much worth the time spent. the author takes a critical look at our culture through the lens of the Bible. the concept of diagonalizing takes some effort to understand but is worth it. diagonalizing is not finding a compromise between two culturally acceptable stances but rather finding the biblical worldview that epitomizes the best Solutions at the top of their energy so to speak.

Edifying and Useful

This panoramic exploration of Biblical insights and major thought leaders will be useful to me, a pastor, in guiding my congregation towards more Jesus- centric impact in my community and culture.