Saints and Sinners in Early Christian Ireland: Moral Theology in the Lives of Saints Brigit and Columba Book

Professor Drane's book, and his class on Theology and Culture, has been life transforming for me.

I've read my fair share of Christian books that hate on Post-Modern culture. Unlike the vast majority of them, instead Drane sees this cultural shift as an opportunity for the Church to birth fresh expressions of the Church, even highlighting positive aspects of our cultural shift: increased hunger for deep meaning, embracing of community, longing for mystery, etc. I can see this. I think many Christian cultural commentators are pining for a past that will either never come back, or is still squarely centered in a Modernist/Enlightenment mindset where the Church still has a place of privilege in the culture rather than a biblical mindset. Drane helps by allowing the reader to step back to see how the Church has often been more lockstep with culture than it cares to admit (hence the "McDonaldization" effect).

Some might be frustrated that there are not lots of specifics practical suggestions, however that's kind of the point: Drane sees that the church should be creative and dynamic when it comes to worship and outreach. It shouldn't conform to one particular model.

There is much to think about here, and I'll be chewing on this for years!