i

BOOK REVIEW

of

God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World

Of Fading Dreams by David F. Wells

THEO525 B15 DLP (spring 2010)

Systematic Theology I

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Jonathan Hewett (ID 20004305)

February 27, 2010

ii
 iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1

THE CONTENT OF “GOD IN THE WASTELAND”...................................................................1

DOCTRINE AS AN ANSWER?.....................................................................................................3

CULTURAL CONTEXT: MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE............................................4

Two contemporary authors in particular are known to this reviewer to have written recent books

echoing many of Wells’ observations. These authors are not theologians and write for the lay

reader, but they eerily echo Wells and one suspects that “God in the Wasteland” is not unknown

to them. Mike Minter’s “A Western Jesus: the wayward Americanization of Christ and the

church” was published in 2007 and frequently mentions the “transcendent Christ.” Based on his

experiences with the Church in other countries and framing his presentation around the theme of

pilgrimage, Minter sounds like Wells when he writes:....................................................................5

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS.........................................................................................................6

BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................7
 1

INTRODUCTION

In 1994, David F. Wells published “God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of

Fading Dreams.” It was Dr. Wells’ eighteenth book and was a follow up to “No Place For Truth

or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?”1 Dr. Wells, at the date of publication, was the

Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Gordon-

Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Dr. Wells wrote “God in the

Wasteland” to provide a biblical corrective for North American evangelicals, pointing out a

capitulation to secular consumerism within evangelical churches and pointing to theological

answers for this spiritual compromise. The book is written boldly, with strong assertions based

on surveys and cogent observations. I believe this book provides a curative dose of theology that

is very sorely needed within evangelical circles, even sixteen years after its publication.

THE CONTENT OF “GOD IN THE WASTELAND”

The cover image of “God in the Wasteland” is a striking picture of the demolition of a

classic cathedral. A hole has been opened in the roof exposing to view the machine removing

chunks of building with its gaping jaws. The image is appropriate to the subject matter as Dr.

Wells accurately analyzes and responds to the pressures on the contemporary evangelical

churches of North America. Wells states his purpose as examining the relationship between

Christ and culture, bemoaning evangelical America’s easy co-existence with “modernity,” his

word for secular culture. Rather than modernity being one of many issues with which the church

must contend, Wells says:

1
. David F. Wells' biographical and professional information, Retrieved from
http://www.gcts.edu/prospective_students/david_f_wells (accessed February 27, 2010).
 2
“…modernity is not simply an issue; it is the issue, because it envelops all our worlds—
commerce, entertainment, social organization, government, technology—and because its
grasp is lethal.”2

In nine chapters, Dr. Wells analyzes and answers modernity with an intensified

application of the doctrine of transcendence to the current situation. God rests too lightly upon

modern churches, he says, resulting in a loss of doctrinal discernment that might otherwise alert

Christians to their acceptance of worldliness.3 There has been a focus on immanence, God’s

nearness and His identification with humanity, to the exclusion of transcendence. This is a God

“…whose reality is little different from our own—a God who is merely there to satisfy our needs

—has no real authority to compel and will soon begin to bore us.”4

Wells decries the turning of American evangelicals from theocentric to anthropocentric

and criticizes George Barna, Frank Perretti and the Church Growth Movement as examples of

the consumer driven, needs-focused ideology common in American churches. The death of the

Enlightenment’s Progress motif and Kantian philosophy are named as contributing factors. A

further symptom of modernity is the loss of spiritual power, resulting in a turn toward

psychology and therapeutic language as the answers to human need.

The solution Wells presents is doctrinal. Preaching transcendent themes such as God’s

holiness, God’s providence and the doctrine of the Cross must replace needs-driven messages.

Rather than the church disguising itself within culture, the church must embrace and vividly

portray its traditional framework of beliefs.5 Ironically, the Christian life built on objective truth

is the tonic needed in this age. The postmodern nihilism the Church faces may actually help the

Church to produce true Christianity, which will satisfy Americans with empty centers.

2
. David F. Wells, God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams (Grand
Rapids/Cambridge: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1994), 28.
3
. Ibid., 89.
4
. Ibid., 93.
5
. Ibid., 221.
 3

DOCTRINE AS AN ANSWER?

It is perhaps not surprising that a theologian’s response to crises within the Church and

the culture is an emphasis on doctrine. Wells’ focus on transcendence as an over-arching theme

and the specific doctrinal pillars of transcendence would certainly be a difficult pill for many

Evangelicals to swallow. There have been years of investment in seeker-sensitive worship, non-

confrontational preaching and even architectural modifications for the sake of attracting people.

American churches have long relied on numbers as the single best indicator of ministry success.

Volumes of books and semesters of conferences and whole systems have developed around the

market-driven model of church work. Wells’ approach would completely divest these

methodologies of their long-held preeminence.

Nevertheless, the answer to a lie is Truth. Wells points out that pollsters have come to be

regarded as ethicists6 and psychology has come to be regarded as theology.7 In the absence of

truth, consistent, well-presented doctrinal messages featuring God’s transcendent Providence,

Holiness, Redemptive Purpose, Eternal Will and Biblical Veracity will provide objective

substance and over time will effect change. Preaching and teaching in evangelical churches is

most Americans only source for God’s truth. Unfortunately, television ministries and much

contemporary Christian music blend too smoothly into the noise of modernity, so that pulpits and

teaching ministries in local churches must be the voices of Truth. Seminary teaching, as

illustrated by the seminary student survey results included in Wells’ chapter eight, must also

return to Truth and to helping seminary students re-center their lives around Jesus as they enter

ministry.

6
. Ibid., 58.
7
. Ibid., 175.
 4

CULTURAL CONTEXT: MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE

One wonders how Wells would react to the proposition that churches must ‘meet people

where they are’ and attempt to move them toward Christ and Christian faith. Modern preaching

frequently involves thematic series with multi-media presentations, themed artwork, online

support and advertising campaigns promoting the series. Based on Wells’ severe criticism of

Barna and marketing and slogans, it is perhaps obvious that Wells would consider much of this

activity as compromise.

However, churches today are attempting to reach consumer-driven, needs-sensitive

people. Secular Americans are not searching for a church to attend. They are more concerned

with consuming media and pursuing wealth. A church or pastor who failed to properly exegete

the culture of the people in the community may preach the transcendent doctrines to the mature

Christians who have by the Spirit of God cultivated an appetite for the ‘meat of the Word’ and

fail utterly to present these truths to nominal Christians or non-Christians. The impression left

by Wells is that any seeker-sensitivity is an embrace of post-modernity and corruption. Surely

church leaders must be wise, balancing curative Truth with effective outreach, not for numbers

sake, but for the sake of deceived Americans who need what the Church offers but have no

conception either of their need or the Church’s ability to speak to them.

CONTEMPORARY ECHOES

Wells is at times repetitive in his criticisms of modernity. Chapter to chapter, lists of the

compromises by evangelicals sound the same to the reader. However, the extended sections

detailing his doctrinal ‘medicine’ are sound and useful. A review by John Bolt in “Theology
 5

Today” in 1996 made this observation and suggested that worship and theological education

were two obviously impacted spheres of church work that needed further attention.8

Two contemporary authors in particular are known to this reviewer to have written recent

books echoing many of Wells’ observations. These authors are not theologians and write for

the lay reader, but they eerily echo Wells and one suspects that “God in the Wasteland” is not

unknown to them. Mike Minter’s “A Western Jesus: the wayward Americanization of Christ

and the church” was published in 2007 and frequently mentions the “transcendent Christ.”

Based on his experiences with the Church in other countries and framing his presentation

around the theme of pilgrimage, Minter sounds like Wells when he writes:

We must all take a hard look at what we do and see if it is derived from tradition, culture,
or Scripture. It is hard to take off the cultural glasses that remove the color and depth of
field found in true Bible study. The western jesus [sic] has obscured the mighty Christ.9

Author and conference leader Reggie McNeal also echoes Wells. In his book, “The

Present Future,” published in 2003, McNeal diagnoses the North American Church as having

“mission amnesia.” He is critical of the Church Growth Movement and calls for the church to

stop trying to “do church” better and to begin to discover Kingdom work. He is echoing Wells

by calling for church leaders in America to lead the Church toward transcendent rather than

trivial work. McNeal writes:

The appropriate response to the emerging world is a rebooting of the mission, a radical
obedience to an ancient command, a loss of self rather than self-preoccupation, concern
about service and sacrifice rather than concern about style.10

Wells is the theologian, grounding the popular work of Pastor Minter and Consultant

McNeal. Wells went before them, challenging American evangelicals to disengage from cultural
8
. John Bolt, “Book reviews: God in the Wasteland,” January, 1996, Theology Today, Retrieved from
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3664/is_199601/ai_n8750285 (accessed February 16, 2010).
9
. Mike Minter, A Western Jesus: The wayward americanization of Christ and the Church (Nashville, TN:
B&H Publishing Group, 2007), 81.
10
. Reggie McNeal, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-
Bass, 2003), 18.
 6

influences and ‘elevate their game’ and it is a fair assumption that many other modern church

leaders and authors have taken their cue from Wells, beyond Minter and McNeal.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

In conclusion, “God in the Wasteland” refers to the contemporary wasteland of subjective

truth, anthropocentric doctrine, therapeutic words and deified experiences that comprises the

post-modern American evangelical landscape. David F. Wells passionately and effectively

argues his point for post-modern intrusion into the Church and for a strong application of the

doctrine of transcendence as the necessary medicine. “We will know that the evangelical world

is being reformed when it not merely escapes modernity but pointedly casts it out of its life, once

again making room for the presence of God in his truth and grace.”11

11
. Wells, God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams, 227.
 7

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bolt, John. “Book reviews: God in the Wasteland.” January, 1996. Theology Today. Retrieved
from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3664/is_199601/ai_n8750285 (accessed
February 16, 2010).

McNeal, Reggie. The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass, 2003.

Minter, Mike. A Western Jesus: The wayward americanization of Christ and the Church.
Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2007.

Wells, David F. God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams.
Grand Rapids/Cambridge: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1994.

David F. Wells' biographical and professional information. Retrieved from

http://www.gcts.edu/prospective_students/david_f_wells (accessed February 27, 2010).