Chapter 7 of Jason’s book is really quite good. His topic is “Reformed Piety,” and he does a good job in distinguishing the corporate nature of Reformed piety from the radical individualism of much of contemporary evangelicalism. He appeals, quite properly, to the contrast set by John Williamson Nevin and Charles Finney, a contrast that continues down to the present between their two tribes. I was very much at home through most of this chapter.
Consequently, there is not so much a problem with what Jason says, as with what he assumes in the background about the binary nature of the disagreement between classical Reformed piety and contemporary evangelical piety. For example, the subtitle of the chapter is “Closet Quiet Time or a Table in the Wilderness?” But the basic contrast he argues for is really between “closet quiet time” and “table.” We didn’t really need that wilderness in order to make the point. It brings in other issues — because it is quite possible to have a closet in the wilderness also. And in some places, closets can get pretty big, and quite a few people can fit in them.
In another part of this chapter, Jason points out that conservative culture warriors are politically conservative, but that when it comes to the worship wars, “we are the ecclesiastical version of Alec Baldwin and Janeane Garofalo put together” (p. 82). I think this is a fair cop. If we were to round up all the conservative family values activists in the D.C. area, and we put together a composite worship service that demonstrated how they all worshiped on the previous Sunday, I would want to argue that we would have ourselves Exhibit A on why we are getting our culture warrior hinder parts kicked.
But Jason doesn’t want to see our worship, good or bad, as having a cultural impact. But I don’t see how it can avoid having that impact, for good or ill. Jason believes that the kind of worship we offer dishonors God. I believe that worship like what we offer dishonors God, which is why the salt has become savorless, and is fit only to be trampled on by Democrats and Republicans, listed here in alphabetical order.