The book seems to be beloved in Community of Christ: I’ve heard a member of the First Presidency recommend it on a podcast, I’ve seen an emeritus senior president of seventy recommend it in the Herald, and this copy was given to me by an apostle. I can see why! It’s interesting, full of important observations, and I think Community of Christ will need to adopt some of these ideas to survive in the decades to come (at least in the Global North).

That said, as an academic, I wanted to see more data and a clearer methodology underpinning these arguments instead of the anecdotes and generalizations that seem to make up the book’s foundation. If there are two things that drive me nuts, it’s n.0 metaphors and sweeping statements about generations or groups of people—both of those abound in this book, so as much as I appreciated its core ideas, I reserve some skepticism.

• Beyond Resistance
• John Dorhauer
• Community of Christ
• ecclesiology
• future of Community of Christ