Practice
Claiming the Courageous Middle Daring to Live and Work Together for a More
Hopeful Future Shirley A. Mullen
Amid today’s intense political and cultural divisiveness, viewing one side as “right” and the other side as “wrong” exacts a heavy cost. It has led to suspicion and animosity in our churches, our workplac- es, and even our families. It has also led to a false sense that our options are limited to choosing a side. But there is a better way. In a culture and church where the poles get all the attention, this book invites readers to claim the powerful, redemptive potential of the courageous middle. Far from being a place of bland averaging, moral cowardice, wobbling indecisiveness, or lazy indifference, the courageous middle is a place where thoughtful individuals work with urgency to foster attentive rather than dismissive listening in order to garner what is true and praiseworthy even from those with whom they disagree. Their Christian faith, which makes it impos- sible for them to align themselves fully with one side or the other, uniquely equips them to call their communities to imagine a more hopeful, grace-filled future. This book offers a Christian theological framework for the work of “middle space” drawn from the Old and New Testaments. It also includes practical advice on how to prepare for this work, examples of those who have called their communities to alternatives beyond binary options, and discussion questions. “Mullen’s journey into Christian higher education as a student, a teacher, and ultimately, a college president, anchors this important book full of resources, ideas, and practical steps for Christians seeking to faithfully navigate the deep differences in our society.” —JOHN D. INAZU, Washington University in St. Louis; author of Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving through Deep Difference “Mullen has written a prophetic book. It calls for Christians to resist the seductive undertow of the culture wars and claim a courageous middle—a place that listens attentively, admits complexity, and does not fit into binary categories of left and right. The church today desperately needs such courageous voices.” —NATHAN O. HATCH, Wake Forest University (emeritus) “A must-read for pastors, professors, students, and individuals who believe there is an alternative to polarization. This book is hope in the midst of despair.” —SHIRLEY V. HOOGSTRA, Council for Chris- tian Colleges and Universities
APRIL 2024 • 200 pp. • paper• $26.99 • 9781540967046
Shirley A. Mullen (PhD, University of Minnesota; PhD, University of Wales) served as president of Houghton College for fifteen years. She spent four decades in the work of faith-based liberal arts education as a professor, residence life director, chief academic officer, and president. She continues to speak, write, and consult as part of her ongoing commitment to encourage and invest in the next generation of leaders through mentoring and serving on the boards of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Jer- icho Road Community Health Center, the National Association of Evangelicals, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the 1st Amendment Partnership.
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