Shaking the System: What I Learned from the Great American...

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 171 pages
• Published by: IVP Books October 30, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0830834362
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0830834365
• Book Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 12 ounces

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Stafford, author of Never Mind the Joneses, presents another book of great clarity and insight—this time for the socially conscious Christian. With easy-to-follow analysis, Stafford explores four great social reform movements of American history (abolition, prohibition, women's suffrage and civil rights) and extracts lessons for contemporary activists. He points out that all these historic movements had deep roots in faith-based communities and that the most successful factions drew strength from a simple core truth (e.g., Slavery is sin, or women are equal to men). Every movement also had its fractures and conflicts, its failures and burnouts. Stafford pulls out intriguing details that readers will not have learned in civics class to illustrate the pros and cons of pressure tactics, the inevitable temptation to violence and the dangers of political compromise. Stafford is nuanced and therefore persuasive—he does not entirely rule out violence and politics, but uses compelling stories to warn about their limitations. Perhaps the central message is that the world—and the Kingdom of God—need passionate yet durable activists: people who are rooted in community life and able to follow the rush of early idealism with the dogged lifelong stamina needed to cement change. This is required reading for every evangelical Christian with a social conscience. (Oct.)
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Product Description


Thousands are active today seeking to make the world a better place. It is a great American tradition that goes back hundreds of years. Sometimes such reform movements were very effective and sometimes they weren't. What made the difference? How come some grand ideals were fulfilled and others faded away?

Tim Stafford explores the patterns of successful and failed reform movements to highlight what activists today can learn. How can activists keep from burning out? How can they avoid the lure of violence? What are ways to engage politics that are at once practical and ethical?

The great American reform movements of the last two centuries have an abundance of down-to-earth guidance to offer on these and other vital questions. Tim Stafford weaves the stories of the abolitionist movement, the temperance movement, the suffrage movement and the civil rights movement into this readable and practical study with application to those today who are motivated by the gospel to make a difference in the world.
Market/Audience

• Culture-watchers
• History buffs
• Mission and evangelism organizations
• Missionaries

Endorsements


"Tim Stafford helps us pause, reflect and learn from both the wisdom and folly of that colourful past." PHILIP YANCEY

"Insightful, probing reflection on Christian activist struggles to change America. Wisely cautionary, firmly encouraging. A must-read for all activists who want to change the world." RONALD J. SIDER, president, Evangelicals for Social Action
Features and Benefits

• Highlights key principles to guide Christian activists today
• Offers the opportunity to learn from history rather than repeat its mistakes
• Provides a readable overview of some of the key reform movements in American history

Reader Reviews
Such a curious book. I've never seen one quite like it. This is a psychological forecast of what the average social activist will go through in pursuit of change, with reference to the last century and a half of great reformations. Through abolition, temperance, women's suffrage, and the civil rights movement, Stafford walks us through the unique experiences of reformers, but not as an idle curiosity. He seems to be telling us what we should expect, in case we give it a try. He says that great social change begins with an unwavering commitment to a truth, even one that most people do not see or intentionally deny. The reformer must then be prepared to meet resistance, face and use pressure tactics, and have the staying power to persevere through a long fight and considerable persecution. Stafford analyzes the temptation to violence as a means of persuasion when frustration sets in. He holds up the options of political involvement or prophetic challenge that is disengaged from politics, and then describes how political pressures can be brought against those in office. What is most engaging about the book is that there is just no genre to describe it. It's primarily a historical work, with a fascinating look at incidents that brought about or stymied social reforms. However, it's far from a merely objective look at historical events. It's a practicum on how to do it. It's almost like something you could hand to a college freshman, whispering, "Fight the power." And yet it's calm and matter-of-fact in its approach, as if it was meant for the middle-aged suburbanite who has been itching to do something meaningful in the world. There's actually a wide audience that would find interest in such a select topic. And it fits in nicely with the growing edge of evangelical Christianity in America: the desire to make social justice central to the proclamation of the gospel without losing the theological heart of evangelicalism. It's a strong, quick read, and a necessary part of the Church's coversations today. James W. Miller is the author of "God Scent."