Reviews for Republocrat: Confessions of a Liberal Conservative

The average rating for Republocrat: Confessions of a Liberal Conservative based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-07-27 00:00:00 Joe Shmow This was a great read. I don't agree with all the political views of Carl Trueman nor did I agree with all the arguments he made, but I found his overall philosophy and his urgent warnings to the church to be perfectly on mark. As a British expat, Truman's humor, clear and succinct style, and grasp of both British and American politics, gives him a unique perspective. When I was growing up, Trueman is what I would have called a liberal. As my views and understanding of the relationship between politics and Christianity (which were beautiful captured in this book in much better language than I ever expressed) have shifted, I feel comfortable merely saying that Trueman is an intelligent and deeply thoughtful Christian. And that, I think, is the point. Christians have swallowed, hook, line, and sinker, most of the nonsense that the Republican party and its various vociferous talking heads ramble on about. Socialism is evil, Obama is a modern-day Marx (or Hitler depending on who you ask), government health care is unbiblical, capitalism is biblical, and so on. There has been little thought as to what is really true versus what we hastily discard as being "liberal" and therefore (as conservative Christians are so oft to label) "evil". The book has 6 sections: Left Behind: provides an initial critique of what's wrong with the Left in America. Trueman finds plenty to complain about. The Slipperiness of Secularization: discusses how America has secularized to an amazing degree but maintains an illusion of being a Christian nation because of how it couches things in religious idioms. No-So-Fantastic Mr. Fox: discusses the role of Fox News, championed by many Christians as "unbiased". Trueman pokes both at the silliness of unbiased reporting along with many clear examples of the inconsistencies in the "conservative" status of the organization. Living Life to the Max: talks about Max Weber's discussion of capitalism in the context of Christianity and the modern-day perception by many Christians that capitalism is Biblical and in fact the pinnacle of Christian government. Rulers of the Queen's Navee: speaks to the disturbing trend in modern American politics of "never thinking for yourself at all" but toeing the party line. It also discusses the problem of meaningful and serious discourse on any political topic. Concluding Unpolitical Postscript: closes out the book with Trueman's thoughts on what can be done about the issues and his recommendation to fellow Christians on how they ought to deal with politics and with their fellow Christians. Overall, I was impressed. This book makes you think, it makes you doubt what you have been told, and it provides solid and Biblical advice for living in a society where you don't necessarily agree with your neighbors (Christian or otherwise). I believe that Christians who read and understand Trueman's message will be blessed, but also challenged.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-05-02 00:00:00 Deborah Duphily I wish I could get anyone who pays attention to politics in America to read this book! Written by a conservative evangelical professor of church history and a man raised in the British Reformed Church tradition, Dr Trueman presents a cogent, thought provoking critique of the American political process and how our parties have shifted focus over the years bringing us to this point in history when reasoned discourse seems nearly impossible. He skewers sacred cows on both the left and right sides of the debate and presents the reader with a good solid starting point to begin to rethink long cherished notions of the Christian's role in the political arena. At 110 pages, it is a short read, but packed with plenty to chew on. Seriously. Read this book!