TAP: Vol 13, Iss. 5. A Theologian for These Times?. Charles Marsh.

Hauerwas seems confused about what to say to the church in these difficult times. “I have made certain commitments,” he has said, “and feeling the distance that my commitments have made with people I know and love makes me very sad. But look, if you have strong convictions, you have to just live with them.”

Hmmmmm……doesn’t seem confused to me. Nevertheless, even though this reviewer of Hauerwas’ book, With the Grain of the Universe: The Church’s Witness and Natural Theology seems to totally miss that Hauerwas in some ways, is NOT seeking “relevance” where it calls for compromise; and Hauerwas certainly sees compromise as required for “relevance” in many places,……the review is articulate and thourough, which makes it all the more confusing that he comes to the conclusion that Haerwas is “confused”. I had just read a Sojourner’s interview with Hauerwas about nonviolence that was done in the fall of 2001 (after 9/11)