As readers of this blog know very well, finding unique third spaces in the community and connecting the people there to life in the kingdom defines the passion of my days. All is right with my world when I stumble into a conversation that has an impact, reveals a bit of God’s plan for our community. Coffeehouse Theology, a new book by Ed Cyzewski, captures this perspective on life perfecty. Coffeehouse Theology, Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, challenged me to bring a new level of thought to those seemingly random conversations.

Coffeehouse Theology refers to the concept of examining our belief systems about God through the lens of our everyday life. Take your belief systems out of the church, and into the coffeehouse, so to speak. Ed writes,

“Some people believe that God acts frequently in this world, bringing peace and justice. Others see God as very angry, onthe verge of raining down judgement. Still others think he set the world in motion and then walked away.

I want to know one thing: Where do these beliefs about God come from?”

The strength of Coffeehouse Theology lies in the author’s ability to simply (though not simplistically) outline the current theological systems in the church today, and then to trace through church history how we arrived at this point. This is called, academically speaking, contextual theology. Contextual theology, like any other tool, can be used well or can be used poorly. This book attempts to teach us how to use the tool well, not shying away in fear of wandering off-course but constantly re-examining what it means to be an incarnational representative of Christ here on earth.

Coffeehouse Theology gave a very balanced picture of the contemporary church, including the theological basis for many of the postmodern, emergent points of view. This current “bridge” generation between modernism and post-modernism needs to understand this cultural shift. My favorite passage of Coffehouse Theology was a fictional intersection of the Andy Griffith show (a very modern-era show) with participants from The Real World (a very post-modern show). If you ever doubt whether society has moved from one world view to another, just ponder those two shows for a moment.

The world of Mayberry — with an objective authority figure using reason to sort out matters, a closely followed and orderly script, andlargely black and white values — embodies modernism. The Real World with its uneasy equality given to different perspectives, unscripted and chaotic interaction among the characters, and a mishmash of moral observations throughout the show.”

The key concept to learn from Coffeehouse Theology is that while we are all bound by our own culture in time and place, being aware of the interaction between that culture and our theology is a good thing. We can learn to introduce new perspectives to broaden our awareness. We can read history. And we can properly relate theology to our own culture.

After reading this book I have walked away with a clearer understanding of my own time and place. I enjoyed the writing style, and am amazed that the author could communicate complex concepts as clearly as possible. Did I agree with everything in it? Probably not. This is a post modern age, after all, and my lens is different than Ed’s lens. But I felt like Coffeehouse Theology was an excellent tour through history theology and culture.

By the way, this review of Coffeehouse Theology is part of a blog tour review. Consider it an online book club touring the internet through the month of October. If you want to join me in reading the blogs each day, go to the author’s blog for the master list.