A 30 Percent God

David Shiflett is the author of Exodus: Why Americans are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity.  Shiflett draws on the work of Dean Kelley and others who have documented the sharp decline in membership of America's mainline Protestant churches.  His approach is more journalistic, however, as he tells some of the individual stories that represent the larger trend.

In his introduction Shiflett uses an expression that reminds me of David Wells and his critique of "the weightlessness of God" in contemporary Christianity.  Shiflett writes: "While many Americans hold less than orthodox views, a strong majority believe that God is omnipotent and as such 'rules this world.' This is in much contrast to the '30 percent God' popular with some progressives, a deity who would have a difficult time fixing a parking ticket. For some progressives, even a 30 percent God--God Lite--is far too much."