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Christianity Today, July, 2008 |

A Messy Conversation

When a theology prof and a bitter skeptic talk.

Brandon Fibbs | posted 7/16/2008 09:05AM

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For many Christians, dialogue is a dirty word. Confident in our convictions, we often find it easier to badger those we would save with our irrefutable truth, rather than genuinely listen to the things they are saying.

Craig Detweiler and John Marks seem to believe that understanding each other is more important than convincing each other. Their documentary, Purple State of Mind (4 stars), is a mesmerizing conversation between two friends who met nearly three decades ago. Detweiler had just come to the faith; Marks had just left it behind.

The men probe each other's histories and worldviews, neither willing to yield his strongly held principles—yet both are equally committed to the friendship. One might expect the most ire to come from Marks. Not so. Detweiler, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and the film's director, is deeply troubled by a Christianity he sees as increasingly militant, judgmental, and hypocritical toward the very world it is commanded to love.

Marks isn't looking for love. For Marks, who witnessed harrowing atrocities while working as a journalist in the Balkans, the Bible cuts Christians off from the suffering of humanity. God is someone who "murdered his own Son to make a point" and authored a book that "promises mass murder." Detweiler sees his friend as a protest theologian whose anger and bitterness toward God is a critical component of any faith journey.

Purple State of Mind is an authentic, messy, unexpectedly funny, and deeply moving plea to push beyond that which divides us. The film's contention that conversation, not conversion, is the most important part of any relationship may alarm some viewers; if Marks isn't ultimately on the road to salvation, what's the point?

Detweiler wouldn't disagree. But neither is he willing to let Marks's unbelief get in the way of their friendship; he opts not to shake the dust from the soles of his feet and move on. The ongoing conversation must continue for as long as it takes.

Hear more at PurpleStateOfMind.com.

Brandon Fibbs, ChristianityTodayMovies.com

Related Elsewhere:

Marks and Detweiler blog at the Purple State of Mind website.

The book and the DVD are available from ChristianBook.com, Amazon.com, and other retailers.

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July 2008, Vol. 52, No. 7

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Bill	Posted: July 23, 2008 11:54 AM

I have not seen the video. I did read the book. Dr. Detweiler reports that he was critiqued by viewers of the video for not being more active in terms of his responses to John Marks. He stated that the purpose of the book was to give him a chance to do that. I was disappointed in that I did not find much of a defense of Christianity in the book. I agree that Christians should be loving and should be patient and kind and not aggressive and hostile. However, I also think that we need to do more than listen to criticisms of the church and apologize. It is also concerning that Dr. Detweiler appears to lean toward more liberal perspectives in terms of some theological issues but he does not actually spell those out.

Gil	Posted: July 22, 2008 10:27 AM

To Michael: I myself have questioned and raised an eyebrow in regards to CT's point of view on these matters. I've come to the following conclusions: 1. CT formulate these articles in such a way as to provoke a knee-jerk response from its Christians readers. You know, tweek them in the nose. 2. CT wants to be "inclusive" and non threatening to the world and make this place feel like a literary "rec room" where Christians are lightly bashed so that CT can prove to the non believers that they are fair. 3. CT has been on a downslide as far as it's theology goes. For the last several years it has gone slightly to the left in it's theology and politics. Oh well. I still read it and enjoy some of the authors. Whater-yougonna-do. In order to be cool to the world, it looks like CT is loosing its saltiness.

Vic	Posted: July 21, 2008 12:38 PM

Amen, Michael. Raymond, I think you're CT's target audience. I do not agree with the notion of christians being obnoxious in public; it can't be supported in scripture. Nonetheless, those LDS folks need to hear the true Gospel. I read CT primarily to be reminded of how liberal (as in antithetical to the clear teachings of scripture sans the 'benefit' of weak exegesis and poor homiletics) this publication and the 'church' in general have become. Fuller? Are you joking? Take the 'C' out of your handle! How about a REAL, Biblical Theologian on the side of truth; e.g. Al Mohler, John McArthur, Alistair Begg, etc.? Why do we rarely if ever hear from these luminaries in the pages of CT? Instead, we get a steady diet of pandering pablum by self impressed so-called academics who all seem to hold in common a low view of Scripture combined with a high view of their own opinions which most often bear little resemblance to the fundamental doctrines so clearly taught in God's Word.

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