The Intolerance of Tolerance - Softcover

Carson, D A

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844744051 ISBN 13: 9781844744053

Publisher: IVP, 2012

Synopsis

We live in a culture obsessed with the idea of 'tolerance'. However, when tolerance, poorly defined, is made an absolute good, it drifts towards intolerance. It must then, argues D. A. Carson, be thoughtfully challenged, both for the good of the church and for the good of the broader culture.
Carson examines how the definition of tolerance has changed. It now has less to do with putting up with a person or stance while still seeking to disagree, and more to do with not saying others are wrong. It is impossible to deploy this new tolerance consistently, so that actual practice is often whimsical and arbitrary. Worse, the words 'tolerance' and 'intolerance' have become merely rhetorical terms of approval and disapprobation.
Despite the many negatives about these new, often ethically deficient definitions of tolerance, from a Christian perspective there have been gains as well. In this valuable and accessible volume, Carson uses examples and quotations to illustrate his analysis and concludes with practical advice on exemplifying and promoting the virtue of civil civic discourse.

About this title

Review

Michael Cromartie-- Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, D.C."In these highly contentious times we need a renewed understanding of the meaning of true tolerance. True tolerance means taking our deeply held convictions seriously because understanding our differences actually makes a difference. Disagreements matter. True tolerance means engaging one another with civility and respect despite our differences. It is not incompatible with firm convictions or the desire to persuade others. In this timely book D. A. Carson argues that today true tolerance is not well tolerated. He makes a passionate plea for a recovery of an older form of tolerance, insisting that the existence of disparate views is vastly different from the acceptance of all views being equally valid. Important matters are at stake here, and Carson cogently explains why they are so urgent."Bryan Chapell-- President, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis"Nothing is more intolerant than a tolerance that requires the absence of all convictions. Don Carson thoughtfully shows how tolerance, once defined as respecting others' right to hold differing perspectives, has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. The consequence of such a shift is a challenge to biblical faith that needs a biblical response, which Carson ably provides. In doing so, he gives the biblical basis for true tolerance in a just society and shows the inevitable tyranny of tolerance ill-defined. Not to hear and heed him is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true."Mark Driscoll-- Pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle"Sadly, the debate about Christianity has shifted from 'is it true' to 'was anyone offended.' The Bible assures us that the gospel message will be offensive, although the gospel messenger should be loving. Carson has done a masterful job of helping Christian leaders understand how to navigate a cu

Bryan Chapell-- President, Covenant Theological Seminary"Thoughtfully shows how tolerance has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. . . . Not to hear and heed Carson is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true."Christianity Today"Carson shows the structural flaws and inconsistency of modern tolerance and its fixation on opposing traditional Christianity. . . . The Intolerance of Tolerance is not a political jeremiad so much as a call for Christians to fight for the value of truth."

Bryan Chapell -- President, Covenant Theological Seminary"Thoughtfully shows how tolerance has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. . . . Not to hear and heed Carson is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true." Christianity Today "Carson shows the structural flaws and inconsistency of modern tolerance and its fixation on opposing traditional Christianity. . . . The Intolerance of Tolerance is not a political jeremiad so much as a call for Christians to fight for the value of truth."

"Church Times" In this excellent book, D. A. Carson's aim is to explain and give a critique of the contemporary understanding of tolerance. . . . Profound and intellectually forensic while being surprisingly accessible. It provides a startling analysis of the new tolerance, and a rigorous critique of it, while refusing to be defeated by it. It is a book for our time, and one that I would recommend to every thinking Christian. "Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies" Carson has penned an inviting and worthy introduction to one of Western culture's obsessions in the twenty-first century -- tolerance. . . . He produces a frank, critical, and iconoclastic survey of this emerging issue from post-modernism's distain of truth. . . . Not the final word on the topic, but it rates as a solid contribution on a contentious matter. "New Horizons" Well researched and engagingly written. . . . Intellectually stimulating without being stuffy or overly academic. Carson is a gifted writer with deep insights. This work is attuned to mixed audiences of academics and the public, Christians and skeptics. It is recommended for each. "Barnabas" An excellent and timely work. Bryan Chapell-- President, Covenant Theological Seminary"Thoughtfully shows how tolerance has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. . . . Not to hear and heed Carson is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true."Christianity Today"Carson shows the structural flaws and inconsistency of modern tolerance and its fixation on opposing traditional Christianity. . . . The Intolerance of Tolerance is not a political jeremiad so much as a call for Christians to fight for the value of truth."

Bryan Chapell
-- President, Covenant Theological Seminary
"Thoughtfully shows how tolerance has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. . . . Not to hear and heed Carson is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true."
"Christianity Today"
"Carson shows the structural flaws and inconsistency of modern tolerance and its fixation on opposing traditional Christianity. . . . "The Intolerance of Tolerance" is not a political jeremiad so much as a call for Christians to fight for the value of truth."

Bryan Chapell
-- President, Covenant Theological Seminary
-Thoughtfully shows how tolerance has morphed into a pervasive insistence that no one should hold firm convictions. . . . Not to hear and heed Carson is to enter a nightmarish world in which zeal to discern truth is replaced by zeal to keep anyone from claiming anything is really true.-
Christianity Today
-Carson shows the structural flaws and inconsistency of modern tolerance and its fixation on opposing traditional Christianity. . . . The Intolerance of Tolerance is not a political jeremiad so much as a call for Christians to fight for the value of truth.-

About the Author

D. A. Carson is research Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, and president of The Gospel Coalition. He has written or edited over fifty books, including 'Christ and Culture Revisited', 'The Gagging of God' and 'How Long, O Lord?'

Edition details

• Publisher: IVP
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1844744051
• ISBN 13: 9781844744053
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256